Lok Sabha Question No. 2584 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-12-19
Subject: Essential Services to Senior Citizens
Ministry: SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT
Asked by: Gyaneshwar Patil, Raksha Nikhil Khadse, Manoj Kishorbhai Kotak

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

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2584 TO BE ANSWERED ON 19.12.2023

## ESSENTIAL SERVICES TO SENIOR CITIZENS

## +2584. SHRI GYANESHWAR PATIL: SHRIMATI RAKSHA NIKHIL KHADSE: SHRI MANOJ KOTAK:

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

- (a) whether the Government has taken any steps to ensure that senior citizens have access to essential services, financial support and protective measures, if the details thereof; and SO,
- (b) the manner in which the Government adddresses the unique challenges and needs of the aging population?

## ANSWER

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

(a) to (b): The Umbrella Scheme of Atal Vayo Abhyuday Yojana(AVYA Y), being run by the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment, includes components to provide financial security, healthcare, nutrition, shelter,  welfare for senior citizens. Under one of such components, namely, the Integrated Programme for Senior Citizens(IPSrC) Grant-in-Aid is given to Implementing Agencies for running and maintenance of Senior Citizens Homes where basic amenities like shelter, food, medical care, entertainment opportunities etc. are provided free of cost to indigent senior citizens Under Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana(R VY), assisted devices are distributed free of cost, in camp mode; to senior citizens belonging to the families living below the poverty line or having Rs. 15000/- as monthly income and suffering from age related disabilities: The Elderline: National Helpline for Senior Citizens(NHSC) (Toll-free No. 14567) provides free information, guidance, emotional support and field intervention in cases of abuse and rescues in order to improve the quality of life of senior citizens The component namely Senior-care Ageing Growth Engine (SAGE) aims to encourage to think about the problems of the elderly and come out with innovative ideas for the elderly care and promoting them into start-ups by providing equity support living youth

Under Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme(IGNOAPS) of the National Social Assistance Programme(NSAP); a funded Centrally Sponsored Scheme of the Department of Rural Development, Government of India, monthly pension at the rate of Rs.200/- per month per beneficiary to elderly persons in the age group of 60-79 years belonging to Below Poverty Line(BPL) households, is being The rate of pension is increased to Rs.500/- per month per beneficiary on reaching the age of 80 years The States/Union Territories are encouraged to provide up amounts of at least an equivalent amount to the assistance provided by the Central Government so that the beneficiaries could get a decent level of assistance. At present; the States/Union Territories are adding up amounts ranging from Rs.50/- to Rs.3000/- per month per beneficiary under the IGNOAPS of NSAP. The assistance under NSAP pension schemes is sanctioned up to the scheme-wise, StateMUnion Territory-wise cap of beneficiaries under the scheme. At present, the number of beneficiaries under the IGNOAPS in the country is around 2.21 crore and the Scheme has achieved almost 100% saturation in all StatesMUnion Territories. The StatesMUnion Territories have the to provide pension from their own sources in case there are more eligible beneficiaries over and above the StateUnion Territory cap under the NSAP pension schemes. fully top Top option

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare launched the National Programme for Health Care of the Elderly(NPHCE) in 2010-11 with a view to provide dedicated healthcare services to senior citizens at various level of State Health Care delivery system at Primary, Secondary and Tertiary health care, including outreach services The Programme has two components, namely National  Health Mission(NHM) Primary and Secondary care service delivery through District Hospitals(DH), Community Health Centres(CHC), Primary Health Centres(PHC) , Sub-CentrelHealth &  Wellness Centres, and Tertiary Component these services are provided though Regional Geriatric Centres(RGCs) located at 19 Medical colleges in 18 states of India and two National Centres of Aging(NCAs) one in AIIMS, Ansari Nagar, New Delhi and another in Madras Medical College, Chennai. It also includes Research on health issues pertaining to senior citizens. Further; Government launched Ayushman BharatPradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana(PMJA Y) to cover 10 crore poor and vulnerable families (approx. 50 crore beneficiaries) providing coverage of up to Rs.S lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary hospitalization  With the launch of the Ayushman Bharat-PMJA Y, the Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana(RSBY) and the Senior Citizen Health Insurance Scheme(SCHIS) have been subsumed in it: All enrolled beneficiary families of RSBY and SCHIS are entitled for benefits under the Ayushman Bharat-PMJAY. i.e , being

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