Lok Sabha Question No. 4372 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-03-23
Subject: Benefit of social security Schemes to Senior Citizens
Ministry: SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT
Asked by: Mala Rajya Laxmi Shah, Pushpendra Singh Chandel

## MINISTRY OF SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.4372 TO BE ANSWERED ON 23.03.2021

## BENEFIT OF SOCIAL SECURITY SCHEMES TO SENIOR CITIZENS

## +4372. SHRIMATI MALA RAJYA LAXMI SHAH: SHRI KUNWAR PUSHPENDRA SINGH CHANDEL:

Will the Minister of SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has contemplated to take measures to assess 0r take regular cognizance of the difficulties in getting the benefits of schemes related to social security and social welfare meant for lonely, old and very old people; special
- (b) whether the Government has   formulated/proposes to formulate any scheme to issue guidelines to concerned departments/officers to ensure uninterrupted availability of facilities and benefits to dependants of serving persons/retired Government employees after their death;
- if so, the details thereof; and
- the details of the complaints registered in respect of difficulties in uninterrupted availability of facilities provided to dependent old persons in the country especially in Uttarakhand Bundelkhand during the last three years, State-wise? and

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT (SHRI RATTAN LAL KATARIA)

- (a): This Department has formulated the scheme of National Action Plan for Senior Citizens (NAPSrC) with effect from 01.04.2020 which has a sub-scheme of Programmes for National Institute of Social Defence for Senior Citizens (NISDSrC) The NISDSrC includes programme inter-alia Awareness Generation and Sensitisation   Programme" which has the   following activities
- Special campaigns to awareness on mental health issues: spread
- Conducting awareness campaigns on all aspects such as provisions of Maintenance and
- Positive attitude towards the elderly vulnerabilities of senior citizens including awareness on various welfare schemes for senior citizens:
- Information, Education and Communication (IEC) material on self care, nutritional needs and information 0n government schemes etc.
- Training and capacity building of communities/families on geriatric care

This Department has also launched the scheme of Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana in 2017 under which physical aids and assistive living devices are provided to Senior Citizens suffering from age related disabilitylinfirmity so aS to restore near normalcy in their bodily functions The prospective beneficiaries in each district are identified by a team of Doctors/ Technicians/Other professionals to assess their needs and to prescribe the requisite assistive living devices the Artificial Limbs Manufacturing Corporation of India (ALIMCO), the implementing agency, in collaboration with the respective distribution after   making wide  publicity regarding the assessment camps:

- (6) & (c): As per the  information  received from  Department  of Pension and Pensioners' Welfare, as per Rule 54 of CCS (Pension) Rules, 1972, Family Pension Scheme, 1964, has been introduced which allows payment of pension for life to the eligible dependent family member of a Central  Government servant/pensioners features of the scheme are as under:-
- 1) Payable to the   families of Those who entered Government before lst   January 2004 Provisionally to those who entered after 3lst December; 2003 and died while in service.
3. (ii) Family pension at ordinary rate: 30% of the last pay drawn: However, enhanced Rate 5o% of the last pay drawn is to the eligible family members for 10 years on death of Government servant while in service and for 7 years on the death of the pensioner or up to the date of 67 years of age had helshe survived. paid
4. (iii)  Family  pension  is from the date next to the of the Government servant/pensioner: paid
5. (iv) Minimum Family Pension is Rupees 9000/- per  month and maximum  Family Pension Rupees 1,.25,000/ per month at enhanced rate & Rupees 75,000 at ordinary rate.
6. Family pension payable to spouse, till death o remarriage. However, in respect of family members other than spouse, subject to income criterion i.e. minimum of family pension + dearness relief thereon: Childless widow even after her remarriage Children; including Children from illegitimate  marriage and adopted ones, further subject to agelmarital/disability criteria. Dependent parents and dependent disabled siblings are also eligible for family pension:
7. (vi) All children below 25 years of age are eligible for family pension: However; in case of a disabled children and Unmarried/divorced/widowed daughters above 25 of age are also eligible. years
8. (vii) The benefit of Family pension under CCS (Pension) Rules, 1972 has been extended to NPS employees vide OM 38/41/06-P&PW (E) dated 5.5.2009 in case of death and who are discharged on invalidation/disablement, otherwise CCS (Pension) Rules, 1972, is not applicable to NPS employees.
9. (d): No such records are maintained in this Ministry.

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