Chhattisgarh’s culture and civilization has an ingrained character -- to give respect to elders. The practice of living in a collective family is better in the state than in other states, Social Welfare Minister Anila Bhendia said on Saturday.
She was addressing a state-level felicitation ceremony organized by the Social Welfare Department at Sardar Balbir Singh Juneja here to mark the International Day of Older Persons.
Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel has announced commencement of a Helpline facility for senior citizens from November 1, the foundation day of the state.
It would assist elderly persons whose children live in other parts of the country or abroad. The elderly can call the Helpline in medical emergency. The administration will provide them necessary care, she said.
The Minister said the government was making all arrangements from food to drink to shelter, medical assistance for the elderly who were destitute.
Sixteen elders including Sufi singer Padma Shri Madan Chauhan and social worker Padma Shri Shamshad Begum were honored with shawls, shriphal and insignia for their contribution to the society.
A magazine ‘Sangyan’ (Cognition) published by the Senior Citizen Welfare Forum was released. All elderly people from different districts were honoured with ‘Shriphal’, shawl and walking stick.
Assembly Speaker Dr Charandas Mahant said the first responsibility towards the elderly rests with their children as well as the entire society. Intimacy and respect for the elderly is the biggest need.
The Chairperson of the Chhattisgarh Yoga Commission, Gyanesh Sharma, said the nuclear family concept has affected the elderly. Apart from it, materialism is disintegrating the social fabric of the society, he said.
