Lok Sabha Question No. 876 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-07-25
Subject: Social Security of Elders
Ministry: SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT
Asked by: Kalyan Banerjee

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

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.876 TO BE ANSWERED ON 25.07.2023

## SOCIAL SECURITY OF ELDERS

## 876. SHRI KALYAN BANERJEE:

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

- (a) whether Government is aware of the ageing of 'population in the country and if the details thereof; SO,
- (b) whether it is also true that growth rate of elderly people is 2.83 per cent the general growth of 2.02 per cent in the country; and against
- (c) if s0, the steps taken by the Government to ensure social security to all elders of 70 years age and above?

## ANSWER

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

8.6% of the total population of the country. Government of India's National Commission on Population'$ Report of the Technical Group on Population Projections (2011-2036).for India and States, released in July 2020, states that population of senior citizens in 2036 will be 22.7 crore 15% of the total population of India. ie ,

The Umbrella Scheme of Atal Vayo Abhyuday Yojana(A VYAY) being run by the Department of   Social Justice   and Empowerment; includes   components to provide financial   security, healthcare,  nutrition, shelter; welfare etc 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 Yojna(R VY) assisted living devices are distributed free of cost, in camp mode; to senior citizens belonging to the families living or disabilities: The Elderline/National Helpline for Senior Citizens(NHSC) 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:

Under   Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension  Scheme(IGNOAPS) of the National  Social Assistance Programme(NSAP), a fully 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 The rate of pension is increased to Rs.SOO/- per month per beneficiary on reaching the age of 80 years   The States/Union Territories are encouraged to provide top 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.SO/- 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, State/Union Territory-wise cap of beneficiaries under the scheme. At present; the number of beneficiaries under the [GNOAPS in the country is around 2.21 Territories. The States/Union Territories have the to provide pension  from their own sources in case there are more eligible beneficiaries over and above the State/Union Territory cap under the NSAP pension schemes being paid. 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 i.e-, at Primary, Secondary and Tertiary health care, including outreach services The Programme has two components, namely National Health   Mission(NHM) Primary care service   delivery through District Hospitals(DH), Community Health Centres(CHC), Primary Health Centres(PHC), SubCentre/Health & Wellness   Centres; and  Tertiary   Component these services are being 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 Bharat-Pradhan 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: AII enrolled beneficiary families of RSBY and SCHIS are entitled for benefits under the Ayushman Bharat-PMJA Y. ie , i.e ,