THE International Day of Older Persons was celebrated yesterday at the Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement yesterday morning. The ceremony was attended by Union Minister Dr Thet Thet Khine, the Deputy Ministers for Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement and for Education, members of the Myanmar Elderly Committee, the Permanent Secretaries, officials and invited elderlies.

At the meeting, the Union Minister said the ministry has been implementing the social pension support programme to provide financial security to the elderly people in line with the Law on the Elderly (2016) and the National Strategic Plan for Social Protection (2014). The social pension has been provided to the people over the age of 100 in the 2014-2015FY, people at the age of 90 and above in the 2017- 2018FY, and people at the age of 85 and above in the 2018-2019FY. At present, about 250,000 older persons are benefiting from the implementation of the social pension support programme.

The Union Minister said a total of 222 Inclusive Self-Help Groups, that compose women, persons with disabilities and young people under the leadership of the older persons, have been formed to mutually assist the elderly people and the younger generations. The Ministry is also providing K1 million to each group as a support fund for the proper functioning of these groups.

In honour of the International Day of Older Persons, the Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement will be supporting K1 million each to the oldest man and woman in Myanmar through the respective regions/states, as in previous years, she added.

The Union Minister also said she will work to give real security to the older persons with warmth and to create opportunities for them to use their power in the nation-building process.

At the ceremony, a video was presented on the occasion of the International Day of Older Persons, and a grandmother expressed words of thanks on behalf of the elderly people.

MNA

#TheGlobalNewLightOfMyanmar