Former Legislators Seek Enhanced Welfare Measures
The demands were raised at the Forum’s general body meeting held on the Assembly premises in Amaravati
VIJAYAWADA: The Andhra Pradesh Former Legislators’ Forum on Saturday urged the state government to address the long-pending welfare demands of former MLAs and MLCs, including enhancement of pensions, introduction of a cashless healthcare scheme and implementation of official protocol for former legislators.
The demands were raised at the Forum’s general body meeting held on the Assembly premises in Amaravati. The meeting began with members paying tributes to former legislators who had passed away recently.
Presiding over the meeting, Forum president and former MLC M.V. Siva Reddy said former legislators had devoted a significant part of their lives to public service and deserved adequate welfare measures and recognition.
He appealed to the government to increase the monthly pension for former legislators from `30,000 to `50,000, noting that Telangana had already enhanced pensions for its former legislators.
Forum vice-president and former MLC Jalli Wilson sought the introduction of a cashless healthcare scheme and full reimbursement of medical expenses on the lines of benefits extended to All India Services officers. He said the existing reimbursement system imposed a financial burden on elderly former legislators, who were required to bear medical expenses before claiming reimbursement.
Wilson also requested home delivery of medicines through courier services, protocol darshan at Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) and other Grade-I temples, nominally priced Class-III accommodation at AP Bhavan in New Delhi, and official protocol for former legislators at government functions.
Forum secretary and former MLA P.K. Sundara Rao, former MLAs D. Rajagopal and Dara Sambayya, executive committee members, and several former MLAs and MLCs attended the meeting.