The revised geriatric policy of the State government will be published within a month and this will be renamed as policy for senior persons, said M. K. Muneer, Minister for Panchayat and Social Welfare.
He was speaking after inaugurating ‘Pranamam 2012’, organised by the Department for Social Welfare, District Administration, Kochi Corporation and Social Security Mission to mark the International Day of Older People.
The revised policy aims to get the suggestions of senior citizens to make effective interventions in different sectors of society.
A resource bank of eligible senior citizens and a special board for them will be formed. The State government is also working on forming a special commission with powers of civil courts along the model proposed by the National Council for Older Persons, the Minister said.
The revised policy also aims at promoting formation of organisations for senior women citizens as part of the attempt to bring them to the mainstream of society.
It is the duty of the society to take care of its senior citizens, said K. Babu, Minister for Excise and Ports, in his presidential address, adding that the State government has schemes to provide free medicines to senior citizens.
Dr. Muneer handed over the draft of the revised geriatric policy to Mr. Babu. Senior citizens like P. K. Shamsudeen, former High Court judge, Thilakan Kavanad, Mohini Kammath, Yakoob, Sulekha Hussain, A.A. Baburaj and Sainaba Mammu were honoured at the function. Hibi Eden and V.P. Sajeendran, MLAs; Tony Chammany, Mayor; B. Bhadra, Deputy Mayor; Eldhose Kunnappally, District Panchayat president; P.I. Sheikh Pareed, District Collector; G.S. Jaya, director, Department of Social Welfare; and G. Ramesan, district social welfare officer, were present.
To mark the day, HelpAge India organised an ‘intergenerational walkathon’ here on Monday. Mayor Tony Chammany flagged off the walkathon, which was along the Marine Drive walkway.
Nearly 600 persons including residents of different old age homes, senior citizens, and students participated in the walkathon.
