Government working to provide better facilities, social security to senior citizens: Himachal CM

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu today said that the state government was making concerted efforts to provide better facilities and social security to senior citizens. He presided over a state-level function on the occasion of International Day of Older Persons-2025 at The Ridge in Shimla.

Sukhu said that the state government was providing a social security pension of Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,700 per month to 671,754 eligible senior citizens regardless of their incomes. Men aged between 60 years and 69 years were being provided Rs 1,000 per month, while women in the same age group were being given Rs 1,500 per month, he added.

He said, “All senior citizens above the age of 70 years are being given Rs 1,700 per month. Around 2.37 lakh women in the state are being provided a monthly pension of Rs 1,500 under the Indira Gandhi Pyari Behna Sukh Samman Nidhi Yojana. A 'Sukh Aashray Parisar' is being constructed at Jwalamukhi for senior citizens at a cost of Rs 100 crore. Besides, the Rogi Mitra Yojana would also be launched for the regular health check-up of senior citizens,” he added.

Sukhu said that the state was the first in the country to enact a law to grant orphan children the status of ‘Children of the State’. To strengthen the health infrastructure, medical colleges were being equipped with modern equipment, he added.

He said, “Old equipment is being replaced with modern machines matching the AIIMS-Delhi standards at an estimated cost Rs 300 crore.” He added that robotic surgery had been started at the medical colleges at Chamiyana in Shimla and Tanda in Kangra at a nominal cost of Rs 30,000, while the same procedures cost around Rs 2 lakh in private hospitals.

The Chief Minister said that despite pressure from the Central Government to implement the New Pension Scheme (NPS), the state government restored the Old Pension Scheme, prioritising welfare over political gains even as several financial restrictions had been imposed on the state. He honoured several persons from different walks of life.

Earlier, the Chief Minister flagged off a cycling rally and a walkathon and visited exhibition stalls set up by various women self-help groups. The programme also featured a ramp walk by senior citizens aged between 60 and 82 years. Colourful cultural performances were also presented on the occasion.