(MENAFN- IANS) Shimla, Oct 1 (IANS) Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Sukhu on Wednesday presided over the state-level celebration function of the International Day of Older Persons -- 2025 at the historic Ridge here. Chief Minister Sukhu said the Himachal government was making concerted efforts to provide better facilities and social security to senior citizens.

CM Sukhu said the Himachal government was providing social security pensions between Rs 1,000 and Rs 1,700 per month to 671,754 senior ciitzens.

Men aged between 60 and 69 years of age are being provided Rs 1,000 per month, while women in the same age group are getting Rs 1,500 per month, he said.

All the senior citizens above the age of 70 years are being given Rs 1,700 monthly, CM Sukhu said.

CM Sukhu revealed that under the Indira Gandhi Pyari Behna Sukh Samman Nidhi Yojana, 2.37 lakh women are also being provided monthly pension of Rs 1,500.

The Sukhu government is also providing financial assistance of Rs 3 lakh to single and widowed women for house construction.

A Sukh Aashray Parisar is also being constructed at Jwalamukhi with an estimated expenditure of Rs 100 crore where senior citizens would be provided with all the necessary facilities so as to make them feel at home, he said.

CM Sukhu said in the near future Rogi Mitra Yojana would also be launched for the regular health check-ups of senior citizens.

CM Sukhu said that since the Congress government came to power in Himachal, priority was being given to the social welfare sector with focus on the policies being framed in this direction.

Highlighting the government's focus on social welfare, CM Sukhu said Himachal Pradesh is the first state in the country to enact a law granting orphan children the status of 'Children of the State'.

These children are supported until the age of 27, including their education, professional studies, and monthly pocket money of Rs 4,000, he added.

Every year, they are sent for exposure visits, with all travel, stay, and boarding expenses borne by the government, CM Sukhu said.

MENAFN01102025000231011071ID1110136466