Noida, Mar 13 (PTI) A residents' group in Noida has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging him to extend the benefits of health care scheme Ayushman Bharat to senior citizens retired from the private sector with no medical facilities.

The letter has been written by Noida Federation of Apartment Owners Association (NOFAA), a representative body of around 90 group housing societies and thousands of flat residents here.

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"A large population of our country consists of senior citizens above the age of 60 years. This figure, which is around 12 per cent now, is increasing day by day with the passage of time. Although they pay their taxes honestly, still some of them are so unfortunate that they are not entitled to any benefit of government schemes. They have been left high and dry on the road," NOFAA stated in the letter.

"Majority of senior citizens working in the private sector do not get pension or medical facilities after retirement. The rate of interest on deposits is so low that they can't manage to even have two meals a day.

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"During their sunset years, they need more medical attention. Also the insurance companies are reluctant to give them any suitable cover," the letter added.

The NOFAA said the entire country is praising PM Modi's Ayushman Bharat scheme, which provides certain sections of the population with a medical cover of up to Rs 5 lakh.

"However, senior citizens are left out of this scheme too. We request your honour to kindly sympathetically consider the matter and extend the Ayushman Bharat scheme to the senior citizens as well," the residents' body urged.

NOFAA president Rajiva Singh told PTI that the letter, dated March 11, was registered at the grievance cell of the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) on March 12.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)