KHOTANG, Oct 6: Many senior citizens in the district are planning to spend the social security allowances they received from the government recently on Dashain celebrations.
The government provides Rs 2000 a month as social security allowance to senior citizens.
"I received a lump sum allowance of Rs 8,000 for the past four months. I will celebrate Dashain with this money," said Khamba Singh, who was getting out of the municipality office after receiving the allowance. “I will use it to buy new clothes and meat,” he said.
The allowance has brought smiles on the face of 83-year-old Bed Maya Acharya of Diktel Municipality-3. “I will spend this money on offerings,” she said. “I will buy things for myself from the remaining money.”
Likewise, Jukta Bahadur Khatri, of Diktel Municipality-5, said, "The allowance will be very helpful for arranging things for Dashain."
The government decided to raise the social security allowance for senior citizens from this fiscal year.
"Now we do not need to be dependent on our sons and daughters for money to buy fruits, clothes, sugar, tea and other stuffs,” said 82-year-old Dal Bahadur Khatri of Diktel
The government provides Rs 2,000 a month as social security allowance to people aged 70 and above.
Members of Dalit castes and single women aged 60 and above are eligible for an allowance of Rs 1,000 per month. Similarly, persons with disability get Rs 2,000 per month, while partially disabled get Rs 600 a month in social security allowance.
Experts suggest modifying social security allowance schemes
