DHAKA: With a view to ensuring health, transport and housing facilities at minimum cost to the people aged 60 and above, the government is set to declare 1.3 crore people as ‘Senior Citizen’ Thursday.

President Abdul Hamid will make the declaration in a program, organized by the ministry of social welfare, at Osmani Memorial Hall in the capital at 3:00pm. 

Later, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will handover the identity cards to the elderly people.

Confirming the matter, Nasima Begum, the secretary of social welfare ministry, said the ministry is now working for making more than 1.2 crores identity cards for the senior citizens.

Joint secretary of the ministry of social welfare Hossain Mollah said the government has taken the step so that the aged people can pass their last days in a sound environment.

Besides, according to the joint secretary, the government is also going to establish several old homes with individual rooms as the elderly people feel comfort there.

The steps are being taken after the cabinet okayed the draft ‘National Policy on Elderly People’ on November 17 last year.

Now, the government is finalizing the plans of implementation of the project following gazette publication on February 11.

Moreover, a 10-member core committee has also been formed to execute the policy.

Professor Pran Gopal Datta, Dr Enamul Haque and Dr Atik Rahman are the advisers of the committee led by the national professor MR Khan.

The committee will finalize the plan of actions while district, Thana or upazila committee, made by the core committee, will execute the plans.

The helpless and sick old people will get prior in getting senior citizen advantage.

BDST: 1113 HRS, NOV 27, 2014