International Day of Older Persons, 2022 was observed today at Iboyaima Shumang Lila Shanglen, Imphal East with Chief Minister N. Biren Singh gracing the function as Chief Guest. The programme which was organised by the  Department of Social Welfare, Government of Manipur was also attended by Social Welfare Minister Heikham Dingo as President and Health Minister Dr. Sapam Ranjan and Additional Chief Secretary (Social Welfare) P. Vaiphei as Guests of Honour.

N. Biren Singh stressed the need for a stringent Act suitable in Manipur, to deal with those people who misbehave with their parents at their old age and force them to stay in old aged homes. Continuing that instances of keeping aged parents in old age homes have increased a lot, he cautioned that such a culture will make the State move backward and hinder its development. He also expressed that parents at their old age should be given respect and taken good care of, adding that making them feel insecure at their age can be termed a crime against humanity, he added.

The Chief Minister maintained that the Central and the State governments had taken up various schemes for the welfare of older persons. He informed that the State Government is in the process to increase the pension amount under Manipur Old Age Pension Scheme (MOAPS) and Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension (IGNOAP) from Rs. 200 per month to Rs. 1000 per month for beneficiaries of 80 and above years of age. Around 25,000 older persons will be benefited from this initiative costing about Rs. 20 crores from the State exchequer, he said. He further informed that 16,000 additional beneficiaries had been provided old age pensions under MOAPS during the current financial year.

N. Biren continued that the State Government had also introduced the “Chief Minister’s Widow Pension Scheme” and 10,000 widows had been provided widow pensions of Rs. 500 per month. He mentioned that the amount of Indira Gandhi National Widow Pension and Indira Gandhi National Disability Pension had also been increased from Rs. 300 to Rs. 500 per month by contributing State Top-Up of Rs. 200 per month.

The Chief Minister appealed to those people who keep their parents in old age homes, to take their parents back home and take good care of them. He assured to give required assistance for their living from the Government side. He warned of taking legal action against those people who force their parents to stay in old age homes.

Health Minister Dr. Sapam Ranjan, stated that elder persons are the ones who imbibe the knowledge of our cultures and tradition to the younger generation since time immemorial. This has helped preserve our culture. He continued that the State Government under the supervision of Chief Minister N. Biren Singh had been taking up certain measures to take special care of older persons of the State.

Social Welfare Minister Heikham Dingo, delivering his presidential speech, on October 1 is observed as International Day of Older Persons every year to give respect to elders, who had done everything for their younger generations and society. Older persons should be given respect and taken good care of and the same thing should be made known to young generations.

He informed that the Social Welfare Department is opening a particular cell to look into the matters related to inhuman treatment against older persons. He appealed to the public to raise complaints to the Department if anyone happens to come across any such act of misbehavior or ill-treatment of elder persons.

During the programme, N. Biren felicitated the State’s well known singer Konthoujam Bobin for his contribution to Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan campaign. The Chief Minister also felicitated some selected elder persons and took their blessings.

Director, Social Welfare Ngangom Uttam, officials of the Social Welfare Department, and older persons from different places of the State also attended the programme among others.          

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