State govt committed to providing dignity and protection to senior citizens: Uttarakhand CM Dhami

Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India], July 9 : Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has said that the state government is working with full commitment towards its senior citizens. In a press release, the Chief Minister's office made a humble appeal to senior citizens, stating that if they feel neglected in their living situation, they should immediately contact their nearest Maintenance Tribunal or District Social Welfare Officer (DSWO).
CM Dhami said that the government is committed to providing dignity and protection to senior citizens. In this sequence, the District Magistrates have been made the presiding officers of the district-level appellate tribunal to resolve the problems of senior citizens, and they have been asked to dispose of the related complaints.
CM Dhami, while giving instructions to the officials of the Social Welfare Department, said that the 'Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act 2007 (MWPSC Act, 2007)', implemented to protect the rights of senior citizens, should be implemented effectively. This Act provides a legal system of maintenance to senior citizens and parents from their children, adult grandchildren or property heirs. To implement this law, a total of 13 Appellate Maintenance Tribunals are functioning at the district level and more than 69 Maintenance Tribunals at the sub-division level in the state, where the amount of maintenance can be fixed at a maximum of Rs 10,000 per month.
The Chief Minister stated that the presiding officer of the District Level Appellate Tribunal is the District Magistrate, so he has the responsibility to provide justice to senior citizens by strictly implementing this law. Also, at the tehsil level, the Sub-Divisional Magistrate has been made the presiding officer of the maintenance related tribunal and the District Social Welfare Officer (DSWO) has been made responsible as ex-officio maintenance officer.
The CM said that under the law, if a senior citizen transfers property on the condition of care, but after this the stipulated conditions are not fulfilled, then the tribunal can declare that transfer invalid and ensure the return of the property. Free old age and disabled housing homes are being run in Bageshwar, Chamoli and Uttarkashi districts where many needy senior citizens reside.