Moves to make elders partners of agricultural development

THE Government has made arrangements to make elders, stakeholders in agricultural development, Western Provincial Council Agriculture Minister Hector Bethmage said. Under the agricultural development scheme ‘Let us grow and develop our country,’ vegetable seeds and plants will be distributed among elders, the Minister added.

He was addressing the International Elders’ Day celebrations held at the Ingiriya Handapangoda Maha Vidyalaya recently.

Western Province Chief Minister Reginald Cooray was the Guest of Honour of the ceremony jointly organised by the Executive Committee of the Elders of Ingiriya Divisional Secretariat and Horana Divisional Secretariat.

The Chief Minister said the Elderly population was increasing unpredictably in our country as well as globally, forcing the Governments to draw up new plans for their well-being.

Therefore a massive responsibility is cast on the Governments to look into their problems enabling them to spend the twilight of their lives happily and at the same time make them partners in the development drive.