Pulwama elders go for picnic, celebrate National Senior Citizens Day
DAR MUNEEB
PULWAMA, Aug 22: As the adage goes, ‘Age is just a number’, the senior citizens from various areas of Pulwama district on Sunday went on a picnic that was sponsored by the district social welfare office to celebrate National Senior Citizens Day.
The District Social Welfare Office had organised a picnic for the senior citizens of Pulwama to the revered shrine of Wahab Sahab at Shar Shali Pampore.
In the technology driven era where most time gets spent on-screen and the elderly feel neglected, the picnic was an opportunity for the elderly to spend quality time by marking their presence at the spiritual site.
They interacted with each other and were also greeted by a live musical performance on the lyrics of the saint-poet.
The officials of the department took the opportunity to spread awareness about various welfare schemes and helpline numbers operated by the government for the senior citizens.
Several demands and suggestions were raised regarding betterment of the ongoing schemes which were noted and appropriate action was assured.
The elderly belonging to different areas of district Pulwama were over enthusiastic for their participation and highly appreciated the initiative of the department and also expressed their desire for more such programs in future.
Ghulam Rasool, a senior citizen in the Picnic told Kashmir Despatch: “Today it is us, a few decades later youth like you will be called elderly people. So my message to all the youth would be to give utmost respect to your elders so that tomorrow you are respected by your future generation.”
The senior citizens were seen interacting with each other, some discussing family issues; some politics. But most of them were content with their lives and were happy for the initiative taken by the social welfare department.
Begum Jan (name changed), told Kashmir Despatch: “On this occasion, I would like to appeal to the Lt. Governor Shri Manoj Sinha ji to increase the old age pension and disburse the funds to the beneficiaries on time.”
