Jammu, July 24: Apni Party’s provincial president and former legislator Manjit Singh on Monday expressed “deep concern” regarding the Social Welfare Department’s “withholding” of old-age pensions from deserving beneficiaries. He also expressed dismay over the frequent interruptions in the supply of electricity and drinking water in various areas of Jammu and urged the administration to ensure an adequate supply of water and power to the consumers during these hot summer days.
Manjit Singh, accompanied by the party’s provincial senior vice president Faqir Nath and state president SC Wing, Bodh Raj Bhagat, was speaking during a meeting with residents and traders at Talab Tillo (ward no. 61) in Jammu, the party said in a statement, adding that the meeting was held as a part of the party’s ongoing public outreach campaign.
According to the statement, the locals at Talab Tillo apprised the Apni Party leader about certain public issues and grievances, mostly caused by infrastructural deficits and official apathy.
Manjit Singh said, “It is a matter of grave concern that the administration is failing to fulfill its responsibilities, even to the extent of providing people with an adequate supply of electricity and water in these scorching summer days. Both domestic consumers and traders are bearing the brunt of this negligence, experiencing hardships due to the frequent power outages and interruptions in the water supply.”
He expressed concern over the Social Welfare Department’s “failure” to provide pensions to the beneficiaries despite completing their verification process, saying, “The department is continuously withholding pension payments from elderly persons, widows, and handicapped individuals, even after they have successfully completed the verification process. As a result, these deserving beneficiaries are facing tremendous hardships and inconvenience due to the non-payments.”
Singh urged the administration to ensure the immediate release of dues to the poor and downtrodden without any further delay. He also demanded a reliable and sufficient supply of power and water for all consumers. The public outreach programme was organised by youth wing leader Vishal Zutshi.
