Govt taking steps to make life comfortable for senior citizens : Rajkumar Badole
Mumbai, June 15: The state government is active and taking steps to make life comfortable for the senior citizens and NGOs and Government are jointly taking such steps. Still, it is necessary to make efforts on all levels for implementing the senior citizen policy effectively, said Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Rajkumar Badole.
He was speaking at a seminar jointly organized by Social Justice and Empowerment Department and Help Age India at Vidyalankar Institute of Technology, Wadala today on the occasion of Senior Citizen Harassment Prohibition Awareness Day.
Badole further said that the modern lifestyle brought in divided family system and the population of senior citizens is increasing day-by-day. The population of senior citizens in the state at present is 1.25 crore including 53 percent senior women. The state government has framed the senior citizen policy to help them in problems of health, financial hurdles, social security etc. This policy also envisages taking the benefit of their knowledge and experience and expertise in various fields of life besides providing them all round help and assistance. Instructions have been issued to various government departments to help senior citizens through various welfare schemes, he added.
Rs 1600 crores have been spent on Shravan Bal Retirement Pension Scheme and rules of 2007 are effectively being implemented for the welfare of parents and senior citizens. Housing facility is provided to needy, poor and orphaned senior citizens under Matoshri and granted Old Age homes (Vriddhasharams) and monthly grants to these homes is increased. A committee will be set up soon to review and conduct inspection of these Vriddhasharams in the state, the Minister said.
Efforts are on to imbibe respect and love for the senior citizens among the youth through their social awakening. It is imperative for all to respect and honour the senior citizens, for this respect will earn the same respect for the future generations, he added.
Chandrakant Joshi, Vijay Aunde and Vijay Ganacharya working for welfare of senior citizens were honoured and felicitated on this occasion.
A number of dignitaries participated in the seminar on image of the senior citizens and expectations. Senior cine artist Viju Khote, actress Sushma Shiromani, Prakash Borgaonkar of Help Age India, Vijay Aunde of Fescom and senior citizens were present on this occasion.
