Biren warns of taking action against who force parents to stay at old age homes

Imphal: There is 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 at old aged homes.

Manipur chief minister N. Biren Singh said this during the observation of International Day of Older Persons, 2022 at Iboyaima Shumang Lila Shanglen, Imphal East, on Saturday.

The chief minister warned of taking legal action against those people who force their parents to stay at old age homes.

Instances of keeping aged parents at old age homes have increased a lot. Such culture will make the state move backward and hinder its development, Biren said.

Parents at their old age should be given respect and taken good care. “Making them feel insecure at their age can be termed as a crime against humanity,” he added.

The chief minister appealed to those people who keep their parents at 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.

The state government is in process to increase the pension amount under Manipur Old Age Pension Scheme (MOAPS) and Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension 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 by this initiative costing about Rs 20 crore from the state exchequer, he said. He informed that 16,000 additional beneficiaries had been provided old age pensions under MOAPS during the current financial year.

The state government had also introduced “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.

Social Welfare minister Heikham Dingo said older persons should be given respect and taken good care 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 to elder persons.

Biren felicitated the state’s well known singer Konthoujam Bobin for his contribution in Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan campaign. The chief minister also felicitated some selected elder persons and took their blessings.

Health minister Dr Sapam Ranjan and additional chief secretary (Social Welfare) P. Vaiphei, Social Welfare director Ngangom Uttam, officials of the department, older persons from different places of the state attended the programme among others.