JALANDHAR
Local Bodies Minister Balkar Singh on Wednesday directed the officers to ensure preference for elderly people in government offices so that they do not face any problems.
Presiding over the district level ‘Sade Buzurg, Sada Maan’ event held in Gandhi Vanita Ashram organized by the Social Security, Women, and Child Development department, Balkar Singh said that the elderly population was an asset of the nation and by taking guidance from their experiences, we can take the society in a right direction. He said that it was our moral responsibility to respect the senior citizen.
Singh said that the Punjab government led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann was committed to the welfare of the elderly and it had launched several programs for them. He also asked the officials to ensure the elderly get the benefits of the schemes through proper awareness.
During the program, the department also felicitated the elders above 80 and distributed senior citizen cards besides handing over pension sanction letters. Further, 650 senior citizens were also enrolled under various schemes. A health camp was also organized in the program and medical examinations of the elders were also held and free medicines were also given.
District Social Security Officer Manjinder Singh said that a total of 2.22 lakh elders were taking benefit of various schemes in the district.