The Senior Citizens Friends Welfare Association (SCFWA) is set to organize widespread protests across Kozhikode district on September 25. These demonstrations will take place outside major railway stations in Kozhikode, Vadakara, and Feroke, aimed at highlighting the Union government’s perceived disregard for the welfare of the nation’s elderly population.
During a press briefing held on Monday, September 22, SCFWA President Melady Narayanan and Secretary K.K.C. Pillai voiced their urgent appeal to the Indian Railways. They specifically called for the immediate reinstatement of crucial railway concessions for senior citizens, benefits that were controversially withdrawn during the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns.
Beyond the restoration of travel concessions, the association also presented a broader set of demands. These include a significant increase in the monthly pension, from the current meager ₹200 to a more substantial ₹5,000, the implementation of free health insurance for all citizens aged 60 and above, and a comprehensive overhaul of existing policies to better serve the needs and ensure the dignity of senior citizens.