(a) to (d): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.
Statement referred to in reply to Parts (a) to (d) of Lok Sabha Starred Question No. † * 320 to be answered on 10.12.2019
(a) to (d): To enable the senior citizens to lead a socially secured life, National Policy for Older Persons (1999) provides ensuring financial and food security, health care, shelter and other needs of the senior citizens, equitable share in development, protection against abuse and exploitation, and availability of services to improve the quality of their lives. The Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens (MWPSC) Act, 2007 also provides for maintenance of parents/ senior citizens by children/ relatives made obligatory and justiciable through Tribunals, including establishment of Old Age Homes for indigent Senior Citizens, adequate medical facilities and security for senior citizens.
The National Action Plan for Senior Citizens (NAPSrC) launched by this Ministry and shared with the States/UTs provides for protecting, caring and providing for both institutional and non-institutional care of senior citizens. The Mission of the NAPSrC is to create an ecosystem where all Indians can age gracefully and live a life of dignity, with focus on concerted and synergised action on the existing and emerging needs of the senior citizens. The National Action Plan provides for, inter alia, Financial Security, Health Care and Nutrition, Shelter and Welfare, Protection of life and property of Senior Citizens, Active and Productive Ageing with Intergenerational Bonding and Skill Development, Accessibility.
This Ministry is implementing a Central Sector Scheme namely “Integrated Programme for Senior Citizens (IPSrC)” under which grants in aid are given for running and maintenance of Senior Citizens Homes (Old Age Homes)/Continuous Care Homes, Mobile Medicare Units etc to the Implementing Agencies. Under the Scheme of ‘Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana (RVY)’ physical aids and assisted living devices are provided to senior citizens belonging to BPL category, free of cost, to restore near normalcy in their bodily functions.
On the occasion of International Day of Older Persons (IDOP) (1st October) the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment also organizes, each year, Health Camps, Inter-generational walkathons etc. in different States with active participation of Senior Citizens, Youth, Celebrities and Media-persons etc.
National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Ministry of Rural Development. NSAP is a social security/social welfare programme applicable to old aged, widows, disabled persons and bereaved families on death of primary bread winner, belonging to below poverty line household. Old age pension is provided under Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme (IGNOAPS) to the persons belonging to below poverty line (BPL) household. Central assistance of Rs. 200/- per month is provided to the persons of 60-79 years of age and Rs. 500/- per month to the persons of age of 80 years or more.
Department of Food and Public Distribution allocates food grains as per requirements projected by the Ministry of Rural Development under the Annapurna Scheme, wherein indigent Senior Citizens, who are not getting pension under IGNOAPS, are provided 10 kg of food grains per person per month free of cost. Department of Food and Public Distribution also implements Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY), under which rice and wheat at a highly subsidised cost, is extended to households, headed by widows/terminally ill/disabled persons/senior citizens, with no assured means of maintenance or societal support.
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (HFW) has been implementing National Programme for Health Care of the Elderly (NPHCE) from the F.Y. 2010-11 to provide dedicated healthcare services to the elderly people at various level of state health care delivery system at primary, secondary and tertiary health care including outreach services. Government has also launched Ayushman Bharat-PMJAY during 2018-19 to cover over 10 crore poor and vulnerable families (approx. 50 crore beneficiaries) providing coverage upto Rs. 5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary hospitalization.
In order to promote inter-generational bonding between youth and senior citizens, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, through its Autonomous Body namely National Institute of Social Defence (NISD) conducts programmes/ workshops like Awareness/ Sensitization Programmes in Schools & Colleges, workshops for School Teachers on Intergenerational Bonding and Inter-generational Bonding Melas.
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