Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare (MoWCSW) has proposed three different schemes to the Finance Ministry regarding the increment of allowance for senior citizens.

The MoWCSW has proposed that the social security allowance for senior citizens be increased as a whole by up to 20 percent, for those above 85 years old by 300 percent, and a general increment in allowance for all who are covered under the social security scheme.

The government has been providing senior citizen allowance to those who are more than 70 years old, with the age bar set at 65 plus for people living in Karnali district and 60 for single women. The government started providing senior citizen allowance 20 years ago.

"We have forwarded the proposal outlining three different schemes on the social security allowance to the finance ministry," said Ram Prasad Bhattarai, spokesperson at the MoWCSW. "The current provision seems a bit unfair. We thought it would be appropriate to provide at least Rs 2,000 to those who are above 85 years old."

The government has included the issue of increasing senior citizen allowance in its recently-publicized plan and policies this year.

MoWCSW has been holding a series of meetings with the MoF and the Ministry of Local Development (MoLD) to finalize the allowance increment applicable from the next fiscal year.

Bhattarai informed that they haven't yet finalized the allowance amount being given to the senior citizen but will finalize the allowance modality before the budget speech.

MoWCSW even informed that they are planning to increase the social security for single women and the disabled.

Around 22,49,670 people will receive social security allowance in the fiscal year 2015/16.

Published on: 14 July 2015 | Republica