Mangalore: Minister Ramanat Rai urges New Generation to Respect Elderly
By Ashritha D Souza
Bellevision Media Network
Mangalore, 1 Oct 2013: The elderly parents had to be cared for by their children. Meanwhile, in the present times, its an irony that the children of more numbers of elderly are dropping their parents in the old age homes to fend for themselves, the state forests and Dakshina Kannada (DK) district-in-charge minister B Ramanat Rai.
The minister Ramanat Rai was speaking after inaugurating International Elderly Day celebrations that was organized jointly by DK district administration, DK zilla panchayat, women and child welfare department, at Little Sisters of the Poor, Bajjody, here on Tuesday October 1.
‘The new generation had to empathize with the elderly,’ said minister Ramanat. He further said that the state government has been responding to the welfare of elderly with several projects. The ID cards to senior citizens, concession in bus fare, pension, Sandhya Suraksha scheme, etc. The state government has been takin steps to simplify the Sandhya Suraksha pension scheme, said minister Ramanat.
The Senior Citizens Association vice president T G Shenoy presided the programme. DK zilla panchayat social justice Committee chairman Fakir M was the chief guest.
Vishwas Trust secretary Olinda Pereira, Little Sisters of the Poor superior Sr Joslyn were present on the occasion.
The Association office bearers presented a memorandum to the minister Ramanat during the programme, urging the state administration to grant 25 percent concession in KSRTC Volvo and sleeper buses, to hike the monthly pension of Rs 500 to Rs 2,000 under Sandhya Suraksha scheme, to reduce the pension age from 65 years to 60 years, etc.
DK district women and child welfare department deputy director Gertrude Veigas welcomed the gathering. The district physically disabled welfare officer Chandrika S Nayak compered the programme. Sharmila Vidhyasagar and Sandeep were the resource persons, spoke on significance of World Elderly Day.