Chandigarh: Reaffirming the Punjab Government’s unwavering commitment to the welfare of senior citizens, Punjab Social Security, Women and Child Development Minister Dr. Baljit Kaur said that the Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann-led Government considers the elderly among the State’s most valuable assets and is making sustained, result-oriented efforts to ensure they lead their lives with dignity, security and respect.
Sharing details, Dr. Baljit Kaur said that the Punjab Government is operating old age homes across the State to provide safe shelter, quality care and a supportive environment for elderly persons in need of care and support. She informed that the 72-bed Baba Phool Government Old Age Home, located at Khattar Patti on Dhilwan Road in Tapa, Barnala district, was constructed at a cost of ₹8.21 crore and was inaugurated on April 9, 2025.
The Minister said that 16 senior citizens are presently residing at the Baba Phool Government Old Age Home, where they are provided all essential services completely free of cost. These include comfortable dormitory accommodation, nutritious meals, clothing, quality healthcare, a library, gardening facilities, yoga sessions twice a week and indoor recreational activities, promoting their physical, mental and emotional well-being.
Dr. Baljit Kaur said that the Punjab Government is committed not only to providing shelter but also to creating an environment where senior citizens feel valued, cared for and socially connected. She said the State Government is continuously strengthening elderly welfare initiatives to ensure that every senior citizen spends the evening of life with dignity, compassion, security and a sense of belonging.
Appealing to elderly persons who are in need of care and support, Dr. Baljit Kaur said that any destitute, abandoned or otherwise eligible senior citizen requiring residential care may approach the District Social Security Officer of their respective district for guidance regarding admission to Government-run Old Age Homes, subject to the prescribed eligibility criteria and availability of accommodation. She also urged citizens, Panchayati Raj Institutions, Urban Local Bodies, social organisations and community members to help identify and support such elderly persons so that no senior citizen in Punjab is left without care, shelter, protection and dignity.
Reiterating the Government’s vision for an inclusive and caring society, the Minister said the Punjab Government will continue to expand and strengthen social security initiatives aimed at safeguarding the welfare and dignity of senior citizens, ensuring that no elderly person is left without care, protection and support.
