Lok Sabha Question No. 3652 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-08-10
Subject: National Council of Senior Citizen
Ministry: SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT
Asked by: E. T. Mohammed Basheer

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.3652 TO BE ANSWERED ON 10.08.2021

## NATIONAL COUNCIL OF SENIOR CITIZEN

3652. SHRI ET: MOHAMMED BASHEER:

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

- (a) whether the Government has received latest recommendation from National Council of Senior Citizen;
- (6) if the action the Government has taken in this regard; and SO,
- (c) the major challenges or Changes drawn by the Council?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT (SUSHRI PRATIMA BHOUMIK)

(a) to (c): In pursuance of the National Policy for Older Persons (NPOP), a National Council for Older Persons (NCOP) was constituted in 1999 under the Chairpersonship of the Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment to oversee implementation of the Policy and advise the Government in the formulation and implementation of policy and programmes for the aged In 2012, the NCOP was reconstituted in order to encourage more participation from every region and renamed as National Council of Senior Citizens (NCSIC) The third meeting of the Council was held on 13th June, 2018. The issues discussed in the meeting of the NCSrC involved Schemes/Programmes/Act for the welfare of Senior Citizens run by various Ministries/Departments in addition to DloSJE. Major recommendations and challenges drawn by the council in the   3rd meeting; and status/ action taken   by the Government thereof; is furnished below: 3rd being

- Amendments to the Maintenance and Welfare of   Parents and   Senior Citizens (MWPSC) Act; 2007:

Recommendation: The Council  suggested   strengthening of the Act to make it more effective.

StatusL Action\_Taken: - Based on the recommendations of various stakeholders, including NCSrC, the Government of India has introduced the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens (Amendment) Bill, 2019 in the Lok Sabha on 11.12.2019.

## (ii) Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana (RVY):

Recommendation:The Council suggested for organizing of more distribution camps across the States/UTs:

revised the Scheme for RVY to cover all the districts in the country:

Recommendation:Council member suggested the process of on-line registration of NGOs may be simplified, and empanelment of voluntary organisation may be made mandatory.

StatusL Action\_Taken:-The Department  of  Social  Justice has   been maintaining simplified Online NGO portal namely e-Anudaan (https:Ilgrants-msje-gov.in) to process online registration of NGOs It is mandatory for the NGOs to empanelled under NITI Aayog's DARPAN portal, in PFMS, and on Expenditure Advance and Transfer (EAT) Module for receiving the grant-in-aids. get

## (iv) Senior Citizen'$ Welfare Fund (SCWF):

Recommendation: The Council was of the view that financial assistance to those senior citizens who are cancer patients may be provided from SCWF.

Status/\_Action\_Taken:- The Government of India through Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi (RAN) is already providing financial assistance upto Rs 2 lakhs to cancer patients (Rs 5 lakhs in emergency cases)

## Financial Assistance under Indira Gandhi National Old Age   Pension Schemes (IGNOAPS):

Recommendation:The   Council was apprised   that   features of IGNOAPS like   pension

StatusL Action Taken:   Ministry of Rural  Development implements the  National  Social Assistance Programm (NSAP) whereby Old Age Pension is provided to BPL senior Citizens under IGNOAPS The central contribution of pension under the Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme (IGNOAPS) is Rs 200/- per month per beneficiary up to 79 years and Rs.SO0/- per month per beneficiary from 80 year onwards ad the State Governments may contribute over   and  above to this At present old age beneficiaries are   getting anywhere between Rs. 200/- to Rs. 1000/- depending o the State Contribution: All the persons who are 60 years of age in a BPL family are eligible to old age pension: get

## (vi) Social Security to Senior Citizens:

Recommendation:The Council suggested that in respect of UTs which are directly under the Central Government Ministry of Home Affairs should take & pro-active role in ensuring safety and security of Senior Citizen in the Union Territories

"Implementation of National Policy on Older Persons" and also o "Protection of Life and Property of Senior Citizens"  These advisories are available in Www.mha-gov.in

## (vii) Facilities at Railway Stations:

Recommendation: The Council had suggested for the  concession in air-fare to senior citizens and launch of 2-tier non-AC trains for Senior citizens:

Statusl\_Action \_Taken:-Ministry of Railways provides a combined quota of six(6) lower berths per coach in sleeper class and three (3) lower berth per coach each in AC-3 tier and AC-2 tier classes has been earmarked   for   Senior Citizens. Male senior citizens are given 40% concession and female senior citizens at 58 years and above are given 50% concession in the ticket  fare in all classes of Mail/Express/Rajdhani/Shatabdi/Jan  Shatabdi/Duronto group of trains:

## (viii) Bridging of Inter-generational Gap:

Recommendation: Inter-generational bonding as a part of the school curriculum/syllabus

Action \_Taken:-National  Council  for Educational  Research and Training (NCERT) considers revision of curriculum time to time to include relevant content in the syllabus: Ministry of Human Resources (now Ministry of Education) NCERT informed the Council that since the issue of inter-generational bonding is a social concern and has relevance in today' s world, inclusion of the relevant content in the syllabus will be considered: