“OUR ELDERLY ARE OUR PRECIOUS ASSET — THEIR CARE IS OUR MORAL RESPONSIBILITY”
Chandigarh, May 19:
The Punjab Government, under the leadership of Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann, is committed to the welfare of all sections of society, with the well-being of senior citizens being one of its foremost priorities. This was stated by Social Security, Women and Child Development Minister Dr. Baljit Kaur during a high-level meeting held today at Punjab Bhawan.
The meeting was attended by senior officials from the Departments of Health and Family Welfare, Home and Justice, Information and Public Relations, Director General of Police, and Legal and Legislative Affairs. Addressing the gathering, Dr. Baljit Kaur emphasized that senior citizens are a valuable asset to society, and it is our collective moral duty to ensure their care, respect, and security.
During the meeting, representatives of various Senior Citizens’ Associations presented their key demands, which included the establishment of a separate directorate for senior citizens’ welfare, provision of free medical treatment for citizens above 70 years of age, regular mobile van services for health checkups and medicines, dedicated safety measures by the police, and setting up special cells at police stations to address the grievances of the elderly.
The Minister patiently heard the concerns and demands of the representatives and issued firm directions to the officials to ensure prompt and effective resolution of all issues raised by the elderly.
Dr. Baljit Kaur highlighted that, in 2023, the Punjab Government had launched the ‘Sada Buzurg Sada Maan’ campaign, under which 18,900 senior citizens were registered, and 9,589 were provided with free spectacles.
She further informed that for the financial year 2025-26, the government has allocated a budget provision of ₹4,100 crore under the Old Age Pension Scheme to benefit 23 lakh elderly citizens. Additionally, Maintenance and Appellate Tribunals have been established at the district level to provide legal assistance to senior citizens.
The Minister also stated that District Social Security Officers have been appointed as Maintenance Officers for the welfare of senior citizens, and any elderly citizen can submit their application to the respective Sub-Divisional Magistrate.
Currently, old age homes are being operated in Hoshiarpur and Barnala under the state government, while 19 other such homes are being run with the support of non-governmental organizations. For additional support, a free helpline number 14567 has already been introduced, and Senior Citizen Cards are being issued to citizens above 60 years of age.
Concluding the meeting, Dr. Baljit Kaur appealed to all officers and council members present to ensure that every senior citizen in Punjab is treated with dignity, provided necessary facilities, and guaranteed a safe environment. She reiterated the Punjab Government’s firm commitment to fulfilling its responsibility towards the elderly with utmost sincerity and dedication.
Prominent among those present at the meeting were Special Chief Secretary of the Social Security, Women and Child Development Department Raji P. Shrivastava, Director Shena Aggarwal, Joint Secretary Anand Sagar Sharma, Additional Director Charanjit Singh Mann, along with representatives of the Senior Citizen Council and various Elderly Associations.
