KATHMANDU: Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has said it is the responsibility of us all to honor and respect the older people and to be grateful for the works they have carried out and their contribution in the past.

Addressing the program marking the First National Senior Citizens Day, 2021 here today, he expressed the belief that this Day will inspire us all to emphasize the secured and dignified living of the senior citizens by increasing respect, honor, and reverence towards them.

Although 11th of the Nepali month Poush has been marked as the Senior Citizens Day since 2051 BS (1994), the Day is being celebrated nationwide as the National Senior Citizens Day for the first time around the theme – ‘Respect to Senior Citizen: Identity of Civilized Citizen’.

Noting that the senior citizens are the leading figure and important social heritage of any society, Prime Minister Deuba said, “We have arrived in the present situation following on the way they have shown and taught us.”

He described the elder people as the repository of knowledge, skills, and experience as well as the carriers of politeness, integrity, and culture.

PM Deuba said a society that does not accord due respect and dignity to the senior citizens and that does not recall and appreciate the contribution that they have made to our society and nation could not be termed as a civilized society.

“The Government of Nepal from this year on has decided to celebrate today (Poush 11 every year) as the National Senior Citizens Day in order to express respect to the senior citizens and to further ensure their rights and interests,” Prime Minister Deuba declared.

Stating that it is the common responsibility of us all to properly manage the growing elderly population in the world and to make their living easy and respectable, he said provisions have been made in the Constitution of Nepal for providing special protection to the senior citizens by the State and for their social security as their fundamental rights with the thinking that the social security of the older people should be guaranteed.

“Several legal and policy-level provisions aiming to promote health and a dignified and decent life of senior citizens have been enforced,” the Prime Minister said, underlining the need of revising such provision as per the need of time for their further effectiveness.

Elderly citizens are not only the seniors of the society, they are leading personalities, sources of inspiration, and the pride of the society instead. It is the responsibility of all to ensure proper care and protection of the people in the latter days of life, according to the Prime Minister.

“Not only the government but also the family and society are responsible for building atmosphere conducive for a respectful and secured life of the senior citizens with guarantee of human rights, economic and social security for them,” he said ahead.

As the Prime Minister announced, the government is committed to coming up with additional programs of social security by utilizing available resources so as to promote a happy, decent, dignified, and secured life for senior citizens.

Stating that the government had continued with various subsidy schemes including the additional social security allowance for the elderly people, the Prime Minister spoke the need to further escalate the coverage of social schemes and implement special subsidies for the senior citizens from the indigent and far-flung communities.

Stressing that the next generation could get many benefits from the knowledge, skills, and experiences acquired by senior citizens once they are passed on, PM Deuba said the government at all three levels should take action to this effect after making a certain action plan.

He also urged the Ministry of Women, Children, and Senior Citizens to proceed ahead with concrete programs in this regard in the days to come.

Saying that the incumbent government was sensitive and effortful continuously for the welfare and benefit of senior citizens, he pledged on its behalf to the effective implementation of their rights and facilities as provided by the constitution and laws.

Social security allowance given to senior citizens has been increased by 33 percent since the fiscal year, 2021/22 and Rs 4,000 has been released for medical treatment of each of them.

Similarly, the government has managed medical treatment for them worth up to Rs 100,000 each.

On the occasion, the PM has extended his best wishes for happiness, healthy and respected lifestyle of senior citizens saying that may this Day inspire all to honor all of them.