Dehradun: Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami participated in a state-level program on the occasion of International Day of Older Persons at the Himalayan Cultural Center, Nimbuwala, Dehradun on Wednesday. He extended greetings to all senior citizens of the state on International Day of Older Persons. On this occasion, he honored the elderly and administered the Senior Citizens’ Honor Pledge. During the program, the Chief Minister also planted a tree in the name of Mother Earth. He flagged off a free ambulance van dedicated to the service of the elderly and a walkathon rally for the elderly.
The Chief Minister said that senior citizens are the pillars of our society, whose blessings and experiences serve as a guide for the entire society. He added that continuous efforts are being made to ensure the respect, safety, health, and well-being of the elderly through various state and central government schemes. Referring to various welfare schemes, including the Atal Vayo Abhyudaya Yojana, the Pradhan Mantri Vay Vandana Yojana, the Rashtriya Vayoshree Yojana, and the Old Age Pension Scheme, he said that approximately 6 lakh elderly people in the state are receiving their pension directly into their bank accounts through DBT.
The Chief Minister said that the old age home system in the state is being continuously strengthened. Government old age homes are operating in Bageshwar, Chamoli, and Uttarkashi districts, while new buildings are under construction in Dehradun, Almora, and Champawat. With the support of the central government, a model old age home is being constructed in Rudrapur, Udham Singh Nagar district. The process for establishing old age homes is also underway in Rudraprayag, Tehri, Pauri, and Pithoragarh.
The Chief Minister said that experts are being trained to care for senior citizens under the Geriatric Caregiver Training Program. The target is to train 150 master trainers and caregivers in the state this year.
The Chief Minister said that assistive devices are being provided to the elderly under the Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana. This year, a target has been set to provide free cataract surgery to 1,300 senior citizens. To protect the rights of senior citizens, the Parents and Senior Citizens Maintenance Act has also been implemented in the state.
Cabinet Minister Ganesh Joshi, Chairman Senior Citizens Welfare Council Ramchandra Gaur, Vice President Shanti Mehra, Harak Singh Negi, Chairman SC Commission Mukesh Kumar, Secretary Social Welfare Dr. Sridhar Babu Addanki, Director Social Welfare Chandrasingh Dharmashaktu were present on this occasion.
