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• National Policy for Older Persons
The National Policy for Older Persons (NPOP) was announced in January, 1999, with the primary objective viz. to encourage individuals to make provision for their own as well as their spouse's old age; to encourage families to take care of their older family members; to enable and support voluntary and non-governmental organizations to supplement the care provided by the family; to provide care and protection to the vulnerable elderly people, to provide health care facility to the elderly; to promote research and training facilities to train geriatric care givers and organizers of services for the elderly; and to create awareness regarding elderly persons to develop themselves into fully independent citizens.
Steps already taken for implementation of NPOP
National Council for Older Persons (NCOP) is the highest body to advice and coordinates with the Government in the formulation and implementation of policy and programs for the welfare of the aged. It has been re-constituted in 2005. The areas of concern have been emphasized include:
• Uniform age of 60+ for extending facilities / benefits to senior citizens
• Financial security to the elderly population by:
• Proposing tax benefits and higher interest rates for senior citizens
• Promotion of long term savings in both rural and urban areas
• Increased coverage and revision of old age pension schemes for the destitute, elderly and
• Prompt settlement of pension, provident fund, gratuity and other retirement benefits;
• Health care and nutritional needs of the elderly population by:
• Strengthening of primary health care system to enable it to meet the health care needs of older persons;
• Training and orientation to medical and para-medical personnel in health care of the elderly
• Promotion of the concept of the healthy ageing.
• Assistance to societies for production and distribution of material on geriatric care,
• Provision of separate queues and reservation of beds for elderly patients.
• Food security and shelter by:
• Coverage under the Antyodaya Scheme to be increased with emphasis on provisions for the benefit of older persons especially the destitute and marginalized sections,
• Earmarking ten percent of houses/house sites for allotment to older persons
• Barrier-free environment for the disabled and elderly persons etc.
• Meeting the education, training and information needs of older persons.
• Identification of the most vulnerable among the older persons and working for their welfare.
• Realizing the crucial role by the media in highlighting the situation of older persons and emphasizing their continued role in Society
• Protection of life and property of the elderly population
The Ministry has also set up Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) for ensuring speedy implementation of the decisions taken in the meeting of the National Council for Older Persons and also to review the progress. In many cases, the activities have to be initiated by the other Ministries / Department and, therefore, a combined effort by all the Ministries / Departments is required to implement the National Policy on Older Persons.
For the benefit of Senior Citizens following scheme has been implemented:
• Integrated Program for Older Persons - This scheme has been formulated by revising the earlier scheme of “Assistance to Voluntary Organizations for Programs relating to the Welfare of the Aged”. Under this scheme, financial assistance up to 90% of the project cost is provided to NGOs for establishing and maintaining old age homes, day care centres and mobile medicare units and to provide non-institutional services to older persons. The budget allocation during 2005-2006 was Rs. 19.80 crores which was revised and the RE was Rs. 14 crores, against which the expenditure was Rs. 14 crores. The budget allocation for the year 2006-07 is kept at Rs. 28 crore.
• Scheme of Assistance to Panchayati Raj Institutions / Voluntary Organizations / Self-Help Groups for construction of old age homes / multi service centres for older persons.
Under the scheme, one time construction grant for old age homes/multi-service centre is provided. The registered societies, public trust, Charitable Companies or registered Self-Help Groups of Older Persons in addition to Panchayati Raj Institutions are eligible to get the assistance under this scheme. Against the budget allocation during 2005-06 of Rs. 67 lakhs, the expenditure was Rs. 47 lakh.
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