Senior citizens to hold nationwide protest on Aug 16

Brig Chandra said the Union government brought out a landmark document called “National Policy For Older Persons”(NPOP) as early as 1999 and passed an act entitled “The Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens’ Act”(MWPSC) in 2007.The policy covered the areas of financial security,health care,nutrition,social welfare,protection of life and property of senior citizens and made out meticulous action plan for implementation and monitoring,but even after 11 years,28 states and UT have not responded to the NPO document. The state goverment have also remained indifferent to implementing the MWPSC act. Only three states out of 35 states/UT’s have operationalised it,though three years have passed since it was enacted by the parliament. Even the Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme has been implemented by only a few states and as of now about 50% of eligible poor are still not covered by the above scheme.

Brig Chandra added,“The protest would be held in a dignified manner befitting the traditional perception of senior citizens as a law-abiding segment of society.” In Chandigarh,a large number of NGO’s have come together,perhaps for the first time,to show unity.

Daljit Singh Grewal,General Secretary of the association said that senior citizens constitute more than 10 crore out of about 113 crore in the country out of which according to a survey,66% can afford two square meals a day,90% have no social or health security,73% are illiterate and forced to earn their living through physical labour and 37% are lonesome because of their age.

The senior citizens demanded the immediate implementation of the maintenance and welfare of parents and senior citizens act all over the country,coverage of all BPL residents of the old age homes,including the terminally ill,under fully subsidised health insurance and payment to those eligible for old age pension,50% concession in railway and state bus fares for all senior citizens,creation of exclusive ministry and national commission for older persons at the center.

“The problem really lies with the attitude of the leaders who do not have the political will to look into the problems and concerns of the aging society and the bureaucrats who seem to believe that they need not bother about the weak,poor and unorganized elderly persons as they are not needed for pursuing their ambitious careers.” concluded Grewal.