A national seminar on old age homes kicked off here Tuesday. Inaugurating the seminar organized by the National Senior Citizen’s Federation, Chief Minister of Bagmati State, Dormani Poudel, said the senior citizens’ homes must be well managed.

Only mushrooming centres for old age people is not good, its effective management is must, he stressed, urging the old age homes to work for the rehabilitation of the senior citizens to their respective families. He however said those in helpless state must be given care at the old age homes. One district need not have more than one shelter for the homeless senior citizens, CM Poudel suggested.

The CM announced that the government would increase the senior citizens’ allowance to Rs 50,000 per month.

Similarly, chief political advisor to the CM, Jagannath Thapaliya, viewed senior citizens are the sources of creativity and inspiration. The knowledge and experience of the senior citizens need to be utilized.

Policy and Planning Commission’s Vice-Chairman at Bagmati State, Shyam Basnet, said the experiences the old people have are very useful for the present and future generations. They can help make a cultured society, he added.

Presenting a working paper at the seminar, former secretary Krishnahari Baskota, viewed all senior citizens should not be treated in a single category. They can be categorized and allowance and facilities provided accordingly, he said, adding that out of total budget in any government, five percent should be allocated for the rights of the senior citizens.

Federation Chairman Madan Das Shrestha said the senior citizens are the significant elements of civil society. Federation’s General Secretary, Chhatra Bahadur Pradhan, complained that many senior citizens were still facing mental and physical problems. Building senior citizens-friendly society is the need of hour, he stressed.