Udupi (TOI): Alacrity in delivery of services and facilities to senior citizens has helped Zilla Panchayat bag the best district panchayat award for 2015 on the occasion of National Day of Older Persons. The President Pranab Mukherjee presented the award to Zilla Panchayat chief executive officer M Kanagavalli and zilla panchayat president Savitha Shivaram Kotian at a function held at Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi on Thursday. The award carries a cash award of Rs 10 lakh.
An elated Kangavalli told TOI over phone from Delhi that the award is result of a proposal sent to ministry of rural development and panchayati raj in May. "We were asked to send a proposal on how ZP is implementing state schemes for senior citizens," she said. This is a common function for all zilla panchayats. "The fact that ministry of social justice and empowerment has deemed it fit to select us for the award is a proof of effective service delivery," she said.
Timely distribution of identity cards to senior citizens through Sakala numbering more than 11,000, effective use of senior citizens helpline 1090 started on October 1, 2014, hands on management of old age home at Kundapur through ZP through Spoorthi, an NGO, for which government has routed funds has worked to our advantage, she averred. A district level committee headed by me is monitoring implementation of all schemes regularly, she said.
The zilla panchayat has been aiming to provide senior citizens with economic and social security under the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens' Act, 2007. The senior citizens identity card has helped them get facilities such as reservation of seats and concessional fares in public transport, separate queue in public service centres and for availing benefits under various social security scheme. "The committee will decide on utilizing the award money," she said.
