Udupi ZP awarded for services to elders

Udupi ZP awarded for services to elders

Mangalore Today News Network

Udupi, Oct 2, 2015 : According to a press release,  Udupi Zilla Panchayat has bagged the national-level ‘Best District Panchayat Award’ in providing services and facilities to senior citizens.  The President,  Pranab Mukherjee presented the award to the President of Udupi Zilla Panchayat Savita S. Kotian and CEO of Zilla Panchayat M. Kanagavalli in New Delhi on Oct 1.  The award has been instituted by Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.

 The citation of the award states: “The Udupi Zilla Panchayat in Karnataka has been doing commendable work in the area of welfare of senior citizens by aiming to provide them with economic and social security under the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens (MWPSC) Act, 2007.

A district-level committee looks after the implementation of the programmes concerning senior citizens and timely delivery of their demands. The district panchayat has distributed identity cards to senior citizens under the Sakala Act to enable them to avail various facilities like reservation of seats and concessional fares in public transport, separate queue in public service centres and for availing of benefits under various social security schemes.

The Udupi Zilla Panchayat has established a round-the-clock Senior Citizen Helpline Centre at district headquarters. The telephone number 1090 has been set up as toll-free helpline number for senior citizens to provide them with assistance in the form of counselling, free legal services, etc.

The helpline centre is also involved in various other activities like spreading awareness, recording of grievances, handling of cases under the MWPSC Act, 2007, looking into the situation of old age homes etc.  In the past too Udupi Zilla Panchayat has received awards/ recognitions.