Lok Sabha Question No. 2443 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-12-10
Subject: National Policy for Senior Citizens
Ministry: SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT
Asked by: Prof. Sougata Ray

:

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

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2443 TO BE ANSWERED ON 10.12.2024

## NATIONAL POLICY FOR SENIOR CITIZENS

## 2443. PROF. SOUGATA RAY:

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

- (a) whether the Government has any proposal to enact new National Policy for Senior Citizens of the country, if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether the Government is aware that crores of senior citizens of the country is facing various issues like security, financial stability, lack of nursing facilities, spaces for mental happiness etc.;
- (c) if so, the details thereof;
- d) the steps taken for the awareness among the people to protect and preserve the senior citizens of the country;
- (e) the ratio of senior citizens of the country, gender and State-wise;
- (f) whether it is true that in 2050, one in every five Indians will be a senior; and
- (g) whether the Government has any proposal to form a Nodal Agency to deal the issues of senior care, issues of social justice health, housing and infrastructure?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT (SHRI B.L. VERMA)

- (a) to (c): The National Policy on Older Persons, 1999 which is already in force envisages State support to ensure financial and food security, healthcare, shelter, protection and other needs of older persons to improve the quality of their lives.

The Government is aware of the various issues being faced by senior citizens in the country. To mitigate the hardships being faced by the Senior Citizens in the country, the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment is implementing a umbrella scheme Atal Vayo Abhyudaya Yojana (AVYAY). The scheme has following components:-

- i. Integrated Programme for Senior Citizen(IPSrC) - Grant in aid is provided to Non-Governmental/ Voluntary Organisations for running and maintenance of senior citizen homes (old age homes), continuous care homes, etc. Facilities like shelter, nutrition, medicare and entertainments are provided free of cost to indigent senior citizens
2. State Action Plan for Senior Citizen(SAPSrC)- Under State Action Plan for Senior Citizens (SAPSrC), the Government of India perceives a major and critical role of all State Governments in partnering and implementing the Action Plan for welfare of senior citizens. Grant in aid is provided to States/ UTs for activities like awareness generation, sensitization, cataract surgeries and State specific activities.
3. Elderline - The National Helpline for Sr Citizens is to generate awareness about the Act, schemes & programmes being executed by different Central & State Governments and to provide platform to redress grievances of Sr Citizens across the country.
- iv. Rastriya Vayoshree Yojana(RVY)- The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment is implementing the scheme of 'RashtriyaVayoshri Yojana (RVY)' with an objective to provide senior citizens, belonging to BPL category or the senior citizen with the monthly income not more than Rs. 15000/- and suffering from age related disabilities/ infirmities, with such physical aids and assisted living devices which can restore near normalcy in their bodily functions. The scheme was launched on 01.04.2017. The Scheme is implemented through the 'Artificial Limbs Manufacturing Corporation (ALIMCO), (a Central Public Sector Undertaking under the M/oSJE) as the sole implementing Agency.
- V. Seniorcare Ageing Growth Engine(SAGE) - to promote out-of-the-box and innovative solutions for the commonly faced problems, innovative start- ups would be identified and encouraged for developing products, processes and services for the welfare of the elderly. The selection of the start-ups would be made through a transparent process and the fund would be provided as equity, subject to the Govt
6. Training of Geriatric Care Givers- The main objective is to bridge the gap in supply and increasing demand in the field of geriatric caregivers so as to provide more professional services to the senior citizens and also to create a cadre of professional care givers in the field of geriatrics.
- vii. Other Initiatives for Senior Citizens: In order to solve the problems of healthy and productive ageing, several initiatives are being done across the country. The proposed initiatives are aimed at involving the elders in building up knowledge which can be useful for the society as a whole.

Further, Department of Social Justice and Empowerment has notified The Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens (MWPSC) Act, 2007 to ensure need based maintenance for parents and senior citizens and their welfare. The Act provides for Maintenance of Parents/ senior citizens by children/ relatives made obligatory and justiciable through Tribunals, Revocation of transfer of property by senior citizens in case of neglect by relatives, Penal provision for abandonment of senior citizens, Establishment of Old Age Homes for Indigent Senior Citizens, Adequate medical facilities and security for Senior Citizens.

(d): To create awareness, information is made available on the website of the Ministry, eAnudaan portal, Social Media and dissemination through the State Governments. Further, Regional Resource Training Centres (RRTs) conduct workshops and capacity building programs to generate awareness about various measures being taken by the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment for welfare of senior citizens. The Department of Social Justice and Empowerment celebrates the International Day of Older Persons on 1% Oct every year to generate awareness across the country about the importance and needs of the senior citizens.

(e): Ratio of Senior Citizens of the Country, gender and State Wise as per Census 2011 is at Annexure-I.

(f): As per report of Technical Group on Population Projections constituted by the National Commission on Population, between 2011 and 2036, the proportion of population of the older ages (60 years and above) is projected to increase from 10 crores in 2011 to 23 crores in 2036 - an increase in their share to the total population from 8.4 to 14.9 percent.

(g): No Sir.

*****

## (Lok Sabha USQ No. 2443 for 10/12/2024 regarding 'National Policy for Senior Citizens by Hon'ble M.P Prof. Sougata Ray)

State/ UT-wise number of persons aged 60+ as per Census 2011 is as given below:-

## Population of Senior Citizens in India as per Census 2011

| S. No.   | STATE/UT          | As per Census 2011 Total Population (approx.)   | As per Census 2011 Total Population (approx.)   | As per Census 2011 Total Population (approx.)   |
|----------|-------------------|-------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------|
| S. No.   | STATE/UT          | Persons                                         | Males                                           | Females                                         |
| 1        | ANDHRA PRADESH    | 8278241                                         | 3906328                                         | 4371913                                         |
| 2        | A &N ISLANDS      | 25424                                           | 14189                                           | 11235                                           |
| 3        | ARUNACHAL PRADESH | 63639                                           | 33189                                           | 30450                                           |
| 4        | ASSAM             | 2078544                                         | 1054817                                         | 1023727                                         |
| 5        | BIHAR             | 7707145                                         | 4106593                                         | 3600552                                         |
|          | CHANDIGARH        | 67078                                           | 34833                                           | 32245                                           |
| 7        | CHHATTISGARH      | 2003909                                         | 928159                                          | 1075750                                         |
| 8        | D&NHAVELI         | 13892                                           | 6359                                            | 7533                                            |
| 9        | DAMAN & DIU       | 11361                                           | 4873                                            | 6488                                            |
| 10       | NCT OF DELHI      | 1147445                                         | 576755                                          | 570690                                          |
| 11       | GOA               | 163495                                          | 74315                                           | 89180                                           |
| 12       | GUJARAT           | 4786559                                         | 2245601                                         | 2540958                                         |
| 13       | HARYANA           | 2193755                                         | 1088621                                         | 1105134                                         |
| 14       | HIMACHAL PRADESH  | 703009                                          | 340875                                          | 362134                                          |
| 15       | JAMMU & KASHMIR   | 922656                                          | 482580                                          | 440076                                          |
| 16       | JHARKHAND         | 2356678                                         | 1181745                                         | 1174933                                         |
| 17       | KARNATAKA         | 5791032                                         | 2747072                                         | 3043960                                         |
| 18       | KERALA            | 4193393                                         | 1883595                                         | 2309798                                         |
| 19       | LAKSHADWEEP       | 5270                                            | 2674                                            | 2596                                            |
| 20       | MADHYA PRADESH    | 5713316                                         | 2769556                                         | 2943760                                         |
| 21       | MAHARASHTRA       | 11106935                                        | 5253709                                         | 5853226                                         |
| 22       | MANIPUR           | 187694                                          | 93137                                           | 94557                                           |
| 23       | MEGHALAYA         | 138902                                          | 66939                                           | 71963                                           |
| 24       | MIZORAM           | 68628                                           | 34345                                           | 34283                                           |
| 25       | NAGALAND          | 102726                                          | 54779                                           | 47947                                           |
| 26       | ODISHA            | 3984448                                         | 1994270                                         | 1990178                                         |
| 27       | PUDUCHERRY        | 120436                                          | 53419                                           | 67017                                           |
| 28       | PUNJAB            | 2865817                                         | 1443662                                         | 1422155                                         |
|          | RAJASTHAN         | 5112138                                         | 2432263                                         | 2679875                                         |
| 30       | SIKKIM            | 40752                                           | 22472                                           | 18280                                           |
|          | TAMIL NADU        | 7509758                                         | 3661226                                         | 3848532                                         |
| 32       | TRIPURA           | 289544                                          | 141920                                          | 147624                                          |
|          | UTTAR PRADESH     | 15439904                                        | 8037133                                         | 7402771                                         |
|          | UTTARAKHAND       | 900809                                          | 441897                                          | 458912                                          |
|          | WEST BENGAL       | 7742382                                         | 3851314                                         | 3891068                                         |
|          | TOTAL             | 103836714                                       | 51065214                                        | 52771500                                        |

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