Senior Citizens’ Welfare Society of Mayur Vihar Phase I Extension faces flak from members for arbitrarily hiking both membership fees and annual development charges.
The DDA premises from which Senior Citizens’ Welfare Society operates
Senior Citizens’ Welfare Society of Mayur Vihar Phase I Extension has hiked both membership fees and annual development charges, but members cried down the decision calling it arbitrary and unjustified.
According to members, the decision was taken without prior approval from the Registrar of Societies of the Delhi government. They also questioned the grounds on which the society hiked the development fees, since the society owns no premises.
A circular issued by the committee in May had raised the registration or entry fee from Rs 100 to Rs 500 and annual development charges from Rs 500 to Rs 1,000. The committee also asked members to pay an extra Rs 200 for functions held round the year.
Another circular issued on June 30 raised the entry fee to Rs 1,000. The hike was made applicable from April 1.
The society operates from the premises of the DDA park between Manas Apartment and Kala Vihar Apartments. City Spidey was informed that the space was not registered in the society's name. Members thus questioned the grounds for a hike in development fee when the society has no space or building of its own.
The society was founded in 2007 under the leadership of Diwan Singh Bajeli, a resident of Kala Vihar Apartment. The registration fee for new members was just Rs 50 at the time. A few years later, it was raised to Rs 100.
At present, the society has 400 members — all from the 22 housing societies in Mayur Vihar Phase I Extension. The society receives Rs 1.20 lakh annually from the Delhi government under its Senior Citizens’ Welfare Scheme. The sum is released in two six-monthly installments.
Umed Singh, a member of the society, and a resident of United India Apartments, said, “In a meeting on May 31, the registration fee was fixed at Rs 500. However, a fresh circular, issued on June 30, further hiked the membership fee to Rs 1,000. I oppose it because it has been done without taking prior approval from the Registrar of Societies. It’s an arbitrary decision — and thus not acceptable.”
When City Spidey contacted VK Gohil, general sectary of the society, he defended the committee’s decision of increasing fees.
