House panel starts discussion on Senior Citizen Bill

KATHMANDU: The House of Representatives, Women and Social Committee discussed the bill designed to make amendments to the Act Related to Senior Citizen, 2063 BS, on Friday.

The committee held discussions on the principles of the bill centering on its Clause 8, sub-clause 1 and 2. The clause 8 has provisions stipulating that the offspring or people with an obligation to their parents to inform in writing to the bodies they are working whether or not they should deposit money in the bank account of their parents within 15 days of the commencement of the Act.

Taking part in the discussions, some lawmakers expressed the view that the senior citizens should not be given dual allowance in the context of the senior citizen allowance also not being properly utilized. They argued that the provision requiring the offspring to deposit a certain percentage of their income in their parents’ bank account will invite conflict in society.

However, some lawmakers argued that this provision will instead promote goodwill in the family. They proposed that this kind of good practice should be initiated by depositing either one percent or five percent of the offspring’s income in their parents’ bank account. This provision will promote a sense of family support and care towards older parents. It is only designed to make the offspring who do not look after their parents bound to their responsibility towards their parents.

Some other lawmakers opined that the provision of depositing the amount should not be included in the bill, suggesting that the state itself should make provisions in the case of offspring who have income less than the designated percentage or the offspring without any income.

Minister for Women, Children and Senior Citizen, Thama Maya Thapa made it clear that this bill has been brought for the welfare of the parents who are compelled to live in old-age homes as their offspring are not in a position to take care of their parents either because they are bound to go for abroad jobs for income or because they are very busy for several reasons.