Summary of this article
· National Policy on Older Persons ensures well-being for seniors
· MoHFW offers health schemes like AB PM-JAY for older adults
· IGNOAPS provides financial aid to seniors below the poverty line
The elderly population is expected to double by 2050 in India, and therefore, there needs to be policy-level interventions related to various aspects of old age. But aren’t there policies that already exist and are focused on senior citizens? In reply to a question in the monsoon session of the Rajya Sabha around framing policy for seniors, B L Verma, Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment (MoSJE), said that the National Policy on Older Persons is already there, ensuring older adults’ well-being. Note that MoSJE is the coordinates for its implementation. For the growing elderly population, the policy envisages States to provide support for basic (food, shelter, healthcare) and other needs, and a more comprehensive support to enhance the quality of life for the elderly.
The Minister highlighted that under MoSJE’s Atal Vayo Abhudaya Yojana (AVYAY), 11 Regional Resource Training Centres (RRTCs) are operating to provide inputs for senior citizens-related programs to their assigned state government. These RRTCs are the nodal agencies that are responsible for running awareness campaigns, conducting capacity-building programs, and providing technical support to the state government, aiming at senior citizens’ welfare.
However, AVYAY is not limited to RRTCs; it is an umbrella scheme under which various other small schemes run for the elderly.
Integrated Programme For Senior Citizens (IPSrC) – to grant aid to non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and voluntary organisations to run shelter facilities, such as old age homes and continuous care homes, and provide medical care, nutrition, and entertainment to indigent seniors for free.
Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana (RVY) – to provide assistive devices, such as wheelchairs, walking sticks, and hearing aids, to the elderly belonging to below poverty line (BPL) to support them in age-related disabilities.
Elderline – to create awareness about government schemes for senior citizens, awareness about their rights, and provide grievance redressal.
State Action Plan For Senior Citizens (SAPSrC) – to run awareness campaigns, sensitise people towards elderly issues, and provide grant-in-aid to States for state-specific activities and for cataract surgeries of the elderly.
Geriatric Caregiver Training – to create a pool of geriatric care professionals to match the growing senior care demand in the future while ensuring quality service.
Legal And Awareness Measures – by enacting the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens (MWPSC) Act, 2007, ensuring senior citizens’ right to maintenance and property.
Seniorcare Ageing Growth Engine (SAGE) – to encourage startups in the senior care segment, for developing products or services for the elderly. The government provides up to 49 per cent equity funding of the total investment.
In addition to these, the ministry celebrates the International Day of Older Persons on October 1 every year and runs social media outreach campaigns for awareness.
While MoSJE runs these schemes, other ministries also run different schemes for senior welfare and sometimes offer concessions to them.
Concessions And Facilities For Seniors From Other Ministries
Here are the details of other ministries’ schemes:
Ministry Of Health And Family Welfare (MoHFW)
This ministry runs the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY). The scheme was open only to people named in the Socio-Economic and Caste Census (SECC) 2011 list, but since October 29, 2024, seniors aged 70 and above, irrespective of their socio-economic background, are also eligible for Rs 5 lakh health insurances under the scheme. Eligible members can avail of OPD and hospitalisation benefits under the scheme.
The ministry also runs the National Programme for Health Care of the Elderly (NPHCE), which focuses on providing affordable and accessible medical care to the elderly. It includes primary and secondary care health care services at district hospitals, community health centres, primary health centres, health and wellness centres, and tertiary care through regional geriatric centres in 17 medical colleges across India, besides national centres of aging in AIIMS, New Delhi, and Madras Medical College, Chennai.
Ministry Of Railways
The discounted ticket price for senior citizens has been discontinued since the pandemic in 2020. This facility has not been reinstated yet despite several demands. However, Railways provides some other facilities to seniors, such as automatic allotment of lower berths in the train, and a reserved quota for them. At major railway stations, Railways provide wheelchairs for the old age individuals and differently-abled people for free. It also operates battery-operated vehicles at prominent stations to carry passengers to and from, and gives preference to senior citizens, differently-abled, sick persons, and pregnant women for free. There are separate Passenger Reservation System (PRS) centres or at least an exclusive counter for senior citizens at major railway stations for reservation requests, etc.
Ministry Of Rural Development
The Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme (IGNOAPS) runs under the National Social Assistance Programme of the central government. Seniors (aged between 60 and 79) living below the poverty line are eligible for a pension of Rs 200, and those aged 80 and above are eligible for Rs 500 as a pension per month under this scheme. However, the states can add to this amount at their discretion. In most of the states and union territories (UTs), the old-age pension is around Rs 1,000.
Legislative Department Under The Ministry Of Law And Justice
The Legislative Department under the Ministry of Law and Justice provides seniors (above 85 years) with the facility to cast their vote by post.
Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA)
To ensure the safety and security of senior citizens, their life and property, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has issued advisories from time to time for the States and UTs.
There are targeted schemes for senior citizens run by different central government ministries, departments, state governments, and NGOs to cater to seniors’ different needs. However, the aim is fulfilled only when the benefits reach the beneficiary.
