KATHMANDU: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has extended best wishes to all senior citizens of Nepal for their good health and longevity.

Delivering message on the occasion of the 28th International Day for Elderly People today, he said a legal arrangement would be enforced soon wherein sons and daughters are obliged to allocate a certain chunk of their income for the parents.

The senior citizens have the wealth of experience, Oli said adding that the society which could not show respect and recognise ageing parents would in no way be acknowledged as citivilised society.

“The experiences of senior citizen are also spectacular for the development of the country. So, I would like to reiterate the government’s commitment to protecting and promoting the rights of elderly”, the PM noted.

At the call of the United Nations, the International Senior Citizen Day is being marked today with this year’s theme ‘Celebrating Older Human Rights Champions”.

On the occasion, the government of Nepal, Minister for Women, Children and Senior Citizen and National Federation of Senior Citizens are jointly organising various public awareness raising programme today.

Prime Minister Oli also shared that the government has run senior citizen insurance programme since this fiscal year in order to ease the daily lives of senior citizens.

The International Day for Elderly People was first marked at 14th of December in the year 1990 by the United Nations General Assembly. Following year, the day started celebrating for the first time on October 1st to aware the people about issues which affect the elders as well as to appreciate their contribution towards the society.

The day is celebrated every year to make certain the welfare of elder persons as well as to enrol their significant involvement in the society to get promoted from their knowledge and ability. The Plan of Action on Ageing was adopted by the World Assembly on ageing to encourage the social development for all ages. The day is celebrated worldwide to examine issues, promote public awareness and focus on which type of behaviour can help older men and women throughout their life.