GUWAHATI, Dec 20 - The Guwahati Senior Citizens� Association (GSCA) has expressed resentment over the undue delay caused by the State government in declaring the State policy for older persons, even after 18 years of the declaration of the national policy for older persons by the Govt of India.
The meeting, held at the Pensioners� Bhawan yesterday, mentioned that almost all the States of India had declared their State policies and had been implementing over a decade various welfare schemes for the benefit of the elderly sections of the people.
The Association requested the Chief Minister to take strong measures against the officials who are responsible for the undue delay in preparing the draft policy for Cabinet approval.
Prafulla Kumar Mahanta, member in charge of administration, in his welcome address explained the purpose of the meeting and referred to the activities of the Association.
Prof Sunil Pawan Baruah, who attended the function as the guest speaker, spoke on the importance of liquor prohibition for moral and economic advancement of the country.
Dr Baruah, while speaking on liquor prohibition, said that the Congress, during the freedom movement under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi, had accepted liquor prohibition as a major plank. He added that the Constitution of the country, in its Preamble, declared the national objective for liquor prohibition. He dwelt at length on the ill-effects of liquor consumption in personal lives and referred to the incidence of violence and moral degradation arising primarily due to liquor addiction.
He discounted the argument regarding the budgetary benefits of revenue derived from excise duty from alcohol and said that whatever revenue had been brought by liquor had been drained out from the national exchequer due to violence and economic offence and health costs attributable to liquor.
Dr Devdas Bharali explained the necessity of liquor prohibition for promotion of national health and general welfare of people.
The meeting condoled the death of Roma Bezbaruah, Krishnamurti Hazarika, Prof Umakanta Das and Dipak Mahanta.
