Senior Citizens are nation’s knowledge repository: Drabu

STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: Minister for Finance, Labour and Employment, Dr Hasseb A Drabu on Sunday said that senior citizens are the knowledge repository of the nation and continue to be respected for the wisdom which they have garnered by experience, learning, insight and judgment.
Dr Drabu was speaking at a function held to mark the celebration of World Elders Day organised by All J&K Senior Citizens Welfare Council.
Chairperson State Social Welfare Board, Nirmal Gupta, Director Radio Kashmir Jammu, Anjali Sharma, Ved Ghai, S P Verma, Vice President J&K Bank, Sunil Gupta, President All J&K Senior Citizens Welfare Council, Nirmala Chattoo, Vice President and Manjit Singh were present on the occasion.
Speaking on the demographic dividend of the country, the minister apprised the audience of the growing number of people reaching 60 years of age. He said the number of senior citizens will be 300 million in coming years and reiterated the need of social justice policy to extend various welfare measures to them. He urged for bringing desired changes at each level to transform current infrastructure for evolving ‘senior citizen friendly’ society which will ensure their greater engagement, dignity and respect.
The minister assured the council of all the support for their endeavors towards betterment of senior citizens of the state. He appealed the civil society to come forward with financial assistance as a part of voluntary as well as corporate social responsibility contribution for creating infrastructure of comfort and recreation for the elders, the task which has been taken up by the All J&K Senior Citizens Welfare Council.
Earlier, the celebration included various cultural presentations from teams of Department of Information and Public Relations headed by Jeevan Sharma, Radio Kashmir led by Khajoor Singh, Janbaaz Khalsa Gatka Academy, GWC Gandhi Nagar students and violinist Naveen Sharma.
On the occasion, Ratan Singh, Chint Kour and Ravinder were honored in recognition to their efforts regardless of age towards welfare of the society.
Other members present were Raj Sharma, D P Khajuria, Sarla Kohli, K K Gandotra, K N Singh, K C Gupta, Balbir Singh, Gurdeep Singh, Jagdish Raj, S N Koul, J S Mangal, Tej Krishan Koul, G Badgotra, Satish Sharma and S K Jain.
The Central Government Pensioners Welfare Association (CGPWA), J&K observed the International Day of Older Persons.
A representative team comprising V.P Sharma, Patron of the Association, B.K Raina Vice President, J.K Vaid General Secretary, K.B Jandial and P.P Sharma, Executive Members visited some the such members on Elders’ Day.
They include Shanta Gupta, Family Pensioner of late Dwarka Nath Gupta, IAS (R); Teja Singh wife of late Teja Singh IAS (R); D.N Kotwal, IAS( R); Abrol wife of late H.L Abrol, IFS (R) and Meera Puri wife of late V.D Puri GSI ( R).
They were presented bouquets and Pensioners’ Journal 2017 released on April 24, 2017 on the event of 22nd AGM. It was ensured that the senior pensioners are not deprived of their rightful dues with regard to correct fixation of their pensions/family pension and necessary information inputs were made available to them with a brief about implementation Seventh Central Pay Commission revision. Issues relating to the fixation of the revised pension on terms of Seventh Pay Commission Report were discussed and assured to help them in getting their pension revised.
The good will gesture extended by the association was appreciated by the senior pensioners and their family members and the visiting team was equally delighted by rendering service to their seniors. The association is ever prepared to render service to any pensioner who may or may not be registered member of CGPWA in resolving his/her problems related to pension issues.
On the occasion of World Elders Day, a meeting of Super Senior Citizen Council (SSCC) was held here at Sainik Colony wherein the problems being faced by elderly people were discussed.
Chairman of the Council, O.P Mangotra apprised members of the various provisions announced by the government time to time for elderly people in the different states of the country.
In view of the health related problems being faced by elderly and ailing senior citizens, the participants appealed to the government to provide training to unemployed youth as nursing assistants so that their services could be utilised by the senior citizens.
In the meeting, the elders, who attained more than 80 years of age, were felicitated during the programme.
Vote of thanks was presented by Col Praduman Kumar. Among those who spoke on the occasion were Lt Col C.D Manotra (Retd), Dr R.D Gupta and Brig R.L Sharma.