Agartala Municipal Corporation (AMC) Mayor and MLA Dipak Majumder on Friday stressed that strong family values and social awareness are essential for ensuring the dignity, safety and well-being of senior citizens, saying that a beautiful family and society are built on the human values of every individual.
Majumder was speaking after inaugurating the state-level celebration of the International Day of Older Persons 2026, organized by the Social Welfare and Social Education Department at Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Town Hall in Agartala.
Addressing the gathering, the Mayor said that while the government has enacted various laws and implemented welfare schemes to safeguard the rights of senior citizens, families also have a crucial responsibility to care for their elderly members. He said professional success alone is not enough and that every individual must fulfil their responsibilities towards their family and society.
"A beautiful family and society are built on the human values of every individual. Only in such an environment can senior citizens live healthy, secure and dignified lives," he said.
Among those present at the programme were Jayanti Debbarma, Chairperson of the Tripura Commission for Protection of Child Rights; Dr. Vishal Kumar, District Magistrate of West Tripura; Dwipannita Ganguly, Under Secretary of the Law Department; and Tapan Kumar Das, Special Secretary of the Social Welfare and Social Education Department. They highlighted various government schemes, welfare measures and legal rights available to senior citizens. The welcome address was delivered by L. Ranchal, Director of the Social Welfare and Social Education Department.
The programme also featured the felicitation of distinguished senior citizens from West Tripura district in four categories. Budhurai Debbarma received the Senior Citizen Honour for individuals above 90 years of age, while retired engineer Nishith Bidyut Biswas was honoured with the Senior Citizen Career Award for those above 70. Sasim Acharya received the District Best Senior Citizen Creative Arts Award, and Sitesh Bhattacharya was presented the District Best Senior Citizen Bravery Award in the above-60 category. The honours were presented by the Mayor and other dignitaries.
Three clubs that organized special awareness programmes on senior citizens' rights during this year's Durga Puja celebrations were also recognised. In addition, the authorities of Apnaghar, Sandhyanir, and Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Old Age Home were felicitated for their contributions to senior citizen welfare. Retired physician Dr. Ashok Majumder addressed the gathering on behalf of the senior citizens.