Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Oct 2: To celebrate World Elders Day, All J&K Senior Citizens Welfare Council organized a programme at Brig Rajinder Singh auditorium in Jammu University.
The programme was attended by a large number of senior citizens and other dignitaries from different sections of the society and social organizations.
Former Deputy Chief Minister Mangat Ram Sharma, who was chief guest on the occasion, expressed his pleasure over the activities of the council and assured to play an active role for projecting the cause of senior citizens. Appreciating the efforts of the council in running day care centre, he emphasized the need to open new such centres especially in rural areas.
On the occasion, a cultural programme was held in which performances were made by Sham Sagar from Radio Kashmir Jammu, artists from the Information Department and students of GCW Parade as well as GCW Gandhi Nagar.
Earlier, the council president Raj Sharma highlighted importance of World Elders Day, which is celebrated on October 1, and also gave a brief account of the activities of the Senior Citizens Welfare Council. He informed that the council was managing a day care centre at village Raika Lubana where about 70-80 senior citizens are attending from 10.30 am to 3.30 pm daily. The council takes care of elders, provides them mid-day meal and facilities like music system, indoor games, television etc without any support from the Government or any other institution.
Raj Sharma urged the Government to extend a helping hand to the council and share the responsibilities by providing some suitable premises.
Prominent citizens, who were present on the occasion, included J S Soodan, K K Gandotra, Nirmla Chatoo, D P Khajuria, ex-MLA Prakash Chander, S N Koul, Ravinder Kour, A K Padha, Rekhi and others.