While inaugurating ‘Pensioners Sammelan’ in Srinagar, Lt Governor made a reassuring statement that the administration was determined to ensure elders live a happy and healthy life.
He said that the administration was committed to reaching out to all those who are needy, and that the Integrated Social Security Scheme is a demand-driven scheme without any restriction.
The effective social security net to the last man in the queue will strengthen the society and improve the living conditions of urban poor and destitute, the Lt Governor underlined and rightly so. The government is required to take other measures addressing problem of abuse faced by the elders.
According to the United Nations report last year, elder abuse is a problem that exists in both developing and developed countries. Even though the precise degree of elder mistreatment is unknown, its social and moral significance is obvious. As such, it demands a multifaceted response, one which focuses on protecting the rights of older persons.
As per Social Justice and Empowerment ministry, a number of schemes exist to ameliorate their living standards. It referred to National Policy on Older Persons, 1999, which envisages State support to ensure financial and food security, health care, shelter, protection and other needs of older persons to improve quality of their lives.
Under Atal Vayo Abhyuday Yojana, the government informed the parliament recently that the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment implements various welfare schemes for improving the living standard of senior citizens including Integrated Programme for Senior Citizens (IPSrC) under which grants in aid are given for running and maintenance of Senior Citizens Homes, Continuous Care Homes, Mobile Medicare Units etc. to the Implementing Agencies (IAs) such as Registered Societies/ Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) / Local bodies; Non-Governmental/Voluntary Organizations.
Apart from it, there is another scheme—Integrated Programme for Senior Citizens (IPSrC), Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana (RVY) under which aids and assistive living devices are provided to senior citizens belonging to BPL category or those senior citizens who earn less than 15000 per month and suffer from age related disabilities such as low vision, hearing impairment, loss of teeth and loco-motor disabilities. There is also a scheme by name Livelihood and Skilling Initiatives which aims to supplement the efforts of the senior citizens by providing them opportunities to enhance their earning and sense of self-respect.
While various programmes and schemes are there, implementation in an apt manner remains important.
