14^th National Conference of the All India Senior Citizen Confederation concluded at the MLSU Auditorium on 22^nd February.

In the concluding speech by Dr. Krishnanand of Ajmer, Financial Assistance to the AISCCON was announced.  This fund will be collected during the Bhagwat Katha event to be held from 31 March to 6 April at Dwarkapuri, said Dr. Krishnanand.

During his speech, Dr. Krishnanand said that a human ages more due to lack of clear thought and vision, rather than age alone.  Man is in pursuit of happiness but this is in the hands of the Almighty.  The only thing man can do is to be happy, which he does not focus on.

Regional President of the AISCCON, Kaushal Kishore Jain, in his address to the gathering, also mentioned the 8 year old pending decision of the then Vasundhara Raje Government, wherein the formation of the Senior Citizens Commission was announced.  He said that under the decision, Adult Homes have been constructed only in Bhilwara and Sawai Madhopur and other cities are yet to avail this service.

Other issues raised during the concluding days event included decision on the Gazette Notification for over 50 Lakh senior citizens of the State, under which the formation of the Tribunal is still pending.  It was suggested to include even the Gram Panchayats under the Act.  Dr. N Chapke, National President of AISCCON also said that once the Tribunal is formed, all complaints need to be resolved within 90 days.

He also said that the Central Health Policy for Senior Citizens needed to be made stronger and more robust and government control on Hospitals needs to be increased so as to provide maximum benefits to Senior Citizens.  Increase in Interest Rates for Senior Citizens by 2% was also suggested.

Some notable persons present in the event included Vinayak Pandey, “Shankh Vale Pandeyji”, who carries a Conch Shell (Shankh) with him wherever he goes.  The blowing of the Shell results in making the atmosphere at a gathering more auspicious.  72 year old Pandeyji has been blowing the Shell for almost 40 years now and asserts that this activity keeps him healthy.

Prabhakar Kulkarni from Belgaum, Karnataka, retired as an Advisor to the Defence Mininstry.  He has spent his post retirement years in promoting Government policies in almost 486 villages around Belgaum, which he visits regularly and makes the villagers aware of Government schemes, while at the same time attempting to solve the problems of the villagers.

A retired Senior Manager of the Union Bank of India, Satyadev Trivedi from Lucknow, has spent his post retirement years in helping aged people, who have no children to look after them.  He assimilates all the help he can to assist these aged persons to whom he has become a foster son.

Mumbai’s Heeraman Gunaji Sejvar, is a retired Manager of the Indian Oil Company.  Following his retirement, he learnt Psychological Therapy and spends his days in assisting depressed and mentally troubled senior citizens.