Ratia, June 6 (Paigam-e-Jagat):- The monthly meeting of the Haryana Retired Employees Association, Ratia Block, was held at Noor Garden, Ratia. The meeting was presided over by Association President Sukhwinder Singh, while Secretary Gurpreet Singh Nain conducted the proceedings. The meeting began with a two-minute silence to pay tribute to retired employees Ram Nath and Joginder Singh, as well as those who lost their lives in the recent hotel fire incident in Delhi.
Addressing the gathering, former President Baldev Singh expressed concern over the increasing national debt. He stated that as senior citizens, it is their responsibility to create awareness among the public regarding social and national issues. Continuing the discussion, Balinder Sharma elaborated on the country's and state's GDP and blamed the declining value of the Indian rupee on the policies of the central government. He emphasized the need to curb unnecessary government and non-government expenditures and promote savings. He also stressed the importance of introducing children to technology from the early stages of education.
District President Bhola Singh raised the issue of employment opportunities for youth. He demanded that temporary, contractual, and ad hoc employees be regularized to provide them with job security. Meanwhile, Gurpreet Singh highlighted the problem of inadequate drainage facilities in Ratia city. He pointed out that with the monsoon season approaching, there is still no effective system for rainwater disposal, causing the city to resemble a lake during heavy rainfall. He criticized the administration for neglecting this recurring issue despite its seriousness.
He also brought attention to the condition of a street in Color Colony, Ward No. 5, stating that it has remained incomplete for over a year after being dug up. The construction work has been stalled for the past month after stones were laid, causing inconvenience to local residents.
In his presidential address, Sukhwinder Singh urged the government to accept the pending demands of pensioners at the earliest. He also expressed concern over rising corruption and the frequent scams being reported in the state and called for strict measures to curb such activities. Former President Balbir Singh and Harbhajan Singh Thind also addressed the meeting and appealed to members to increase the association's membership and encourage more retired employees to join the organization.
The meeting concluded with discussions on various social, economic, and public welfare issues, and members resolved to further strengthen the organization while continuing to raise concerns affecting retired employees and the general public.