First of all, let me tell all the senior citizens and older persons assembled here for this programme, I felt it as my responsibility to attend this programme rather than feeling happy as this event enables me to listen to the various problems faced by the older people in the society and the remedial steps needed to address to their problems.
Though it is an event of release of New Year Diary and quarterly magazine on Senior Citizens, this programme, I personally feel, has brought awareness about various issues that affect the elderly people and some of the solutions for the issues.
We owe our gratitude and sincere thanks to the older people for all that they have achieved and rendered sacrifices throughout their lives. It is our responsibility to raise awareness of condition of older people and support them for their well being.
We must appreciate their accomplishments and their participation in society in order to promote through their skill and knowledge and they should be given all fundamental freedoms and space for enjoyment of their rights fully.
As we know that we all go through several stages of ages in the life like Infancy, childhood, adolosence, adulthood and old age.
The older people, as we all know, face several problems like health issues due to old age, lack of shelter, mal nutrition, fear, depression, bore dome, isolation etc.
Their problems can be divided into Physical, Psychological, Social, Emotional and Financial.
They sufer social loses greatly with age. Their social life is narrowed by loss of work associated with poor health, restricted participation in society, which results in lonely feeling and depression.
Further the old age and retirement result in loss of income, inadequate pensions reverse them from chief bread earner of the family to mere dependent. By this age, they must have incurred many expenses towards performing marriages of their children, acquiring properties, education and maintenance of family besides medical needs.
In this old age, they need society’s help and support to live their remaining life peacefully with entire freedom. They should have financial independence and their feelings must be respected as they have done many sacrifices in the life by this age.
Children should not feel that they are burden to them. We all know that grandparents provide an additional source of affection and enrichment of experience in respect of children and family.
The association has brought several issues and remedial steps like constructing old age shelters, increase of old aged pensions, preference in health issues etc.
On this occasion, I assure that the Telangana State Government is committed to work towards solving their grievances and help the senior citizens and older people. Telangana Govt. have raised the pensions under Aasara scheme to 1000/-. Earlier it was 200/- in the United State. Now, we are going to raise the pension to 2016/- per month to support them financially. The age limit for aged pensions is also being reduced to 57 years.
I assure that I will bring the issues and grievances of the old people to the notice of the Hon’ble Chief Minister KCR ji to resolve their genuine grievances as early as possible. I thank one and all for this opportunity. Jai telangana
