32nd International Day of Older Persons

Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has said all state mechanisms should be active and cooperative to care about senior citizens.

Giving a message of best wishes on the occasion of the 32nd International Day of Older Persons today, PM Deuba vowed to ensure proper care, goodwill, and the services and incentives from the State side with utmost priority to the senior citizen so that they would not face any sort of mistreatment. All sides need to be committed to pay high respect to the senior citizens, he stressed.

"For it, I direct all bodies concerned. The deep respect being paid to older persons since the time immemorial should be continued and their knowledge transferred to the next generation," PM Deuba said in the message, reminding that the constitution of Nepal has ensured rights to the senior citizens.

October 1 is observed as the International Day of Older Persons every year at the call of UN. This year, the Day is being marked under the slogan of "Resilience of Older Persons in a Changing World."

On this occasion, PM Deuba wished peace, good health, happiness and longevity to the senior citizens who have ample knowledge, skills and expertise. The Day should be observed by respecting senior citizen and remembering their contribution in the society, and for devel0pment. All should be committed to guarantee the dignified lives of older persons, according to the PM.

With life expectancy of Nepali people increasing, the number of senior citizens in our society has increased. The figure of senior citizens has hit approximately 3 million. For social security and welfare of senior citizens, the government has launched various incentive programmes like senior citizen health insurance scheme and social security allowance, said the PM. “The government has implemented its policy of setting up a separate ward for senior citizens at each hospital. It has also increased monthly social security allowance to Rs 4,000 each for them,” he said.

He also stressed the need for the government of all three levels to launch various creative programmes to tap into senior citizens' knowledge, skills and experiences. “I feel that the recently amended Senior Citizens Act, 2063 will further strengthen rights of senior citizens while providing a direction for them to live dignified lives,” he said.

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