Pursue Your Municipalities.

                          Pursue Your Municipalities.                                M.V.Ruparelia.              

1.      You will be wonderstruck to know what Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) is doing for Senior Citizens of twin cities of Hyderabad & Secunderabad! In 2007, Municipal Commissioner took an extraordinary & unique decision to form an Organization named AASARA (AASARA in Telegu means “helping hand”) under his chairmanship to serve the senior citizens enabling them to lead a healthy, peaceful and dignified life. It encourages senior citizens to take part in volunteering for various support services for the elderly. The motto of AASARA is Equal Rights and Dignity for Elders. AASARA (Registered in 2010) got Best Institute Award for 2010 from Minister of Social Justice & Empowerment for serving senior citizens. This organization is running smoothly with partnership of various NGOs of twin city like Helpage, APSCCON etc. It has 4502 volunteers (General: 2450 and Professional: 2052). A regular meeting of these volunteers is held on every Second Friday of the month for detailed discussions about activities undertaken and to be undertaken. Full details are worth seeing in their Web Site. It provides the following services to all senior citizens of twin cities:-

a)      Help Line (1253) for 24 hours.

b)      Identity/Privilege Cards issued to 54600 senior citizens entitling them for concessions in health care, medicines, entry in gardens, coordination with Police for security etc. AASARA is the first twin city Organization to convince large number of doctors, hospitals, pathologists & chemists to agree to give concessions to senior citizens.

c)      Day Care Centres in 75 places are working with target of 5 per circle to be provided.

d)     All 169 Associations of Senior Citizens in twin cities are covered and are helped in various matters.

e)      It issues a quarterly AASARA NEWS LETTER, a MOUTHPIECE of Senior Citizens of twin city creating awareness amongst all senior citizens of all activities and all issues affecting them.

f)       145 Eye Camps are held, cataract operations arranged and spectacles are supplied free.

g)      Plastic Surgery Camps are arranged.

h)      Geriatric Care with Bed Side Assistance by volunteers is given.

i)        One Mobile Medical Care Unit, donated by Helpage is functioning well.

j)        Community Doctor Concept is encouraged.

k)      Rehabilitation of persons with disability is done by arranging camps and supplying wheel chairs, artificial limbs, walking sticks & surgical operations.

l)        Training for social service is given. 2 lakh plants were planted by senior citizens during Tree Plantation Drive by Corporation.

m)    Action plans are prepared in advance. 18 Circle wise Committees are formed. Women Volunteers Groups are formed. Education to deprived children by senior citizens is arranged. Adoption of slum areas in their vicinity by Associations of Senior Citizens is encouraged.

n)      Insurance coverage of senior citizens is also arranged.

o)      Data base of senior citizens, especially of those living alone by Associations is encouraged.

p)      Categorization of Old Age Homes in twin cities is being done.

GHMC has agreed in principle to give concessions in fare in their buses and orders are awaited.

2.      Some other Local Bodies are also doing their beat, as under. All Local Bodies should be approached by our Associations and pursued vigorously.  In absence of directives from their States, most of Local Bodies have not done anything. Having separate funds & separate status, local bodies can lay down their own policies for welfare of their Elders without waiting for State Directives. All associations must pursue with their local bodies, bringing the the provisions mentioned below of Policy, 99 and work done by various Municipalities to their notice and get as many facilities as necessary provided by them.

i)                    New Delhi Palika Parishad Samaj Kalyan Samiti has started 3 Sr. Citizen's Recreation Centres at Babar Road, East Kidwai Nagar and Laxmi Bai Nagar. These centres have been provided a place for interaction and recreation of Sr. Citizen at membership fee of Rs 10/- per person per month. These centres have been provided with modern facility, furnishing, some indoor games, colour T.V. set and reading materials e.g. daily newspapers and magazines. Pantry arrangement is also made so that tea / coffee could be provided on nominal payment basis. These centres have been provided with coolers and heating systems.

ii)                  New Delhi Palika Parishad Samaj Kalyan Samiti has also provided a Home for senior citizens at Netaji Nagar and Bhagwan Das Lane , New Delhi . This Home fulfills a long felt need in Delhi for a place for the elders of the society, who are economically independent, but, without anyone to look after them in their twilight years. This Home provides accommodation for 52 inmates in single and double rooms with all facilities on payment of a fixed licence fee as fixed by the governing body from time to time. They have also provided  Aaradhana: Senior citizens Home for Women- Bhagwan Dass Lane with 35 Capacity.

iii)                Mumbai: One Day Care Centre for Senior Citizens is run by Family Welfare Association, an NGO. BMC and SION Hospital provide health services, space and health education by the doctors. 3 more Day Care like Centres have been provided by Corporation for being conducted by NGO. BMC gives free treatment to Senior Citizens in all their Hospitals except 3 Major Hospitals. BMC reserves 5 seats in their buses for Senior Citizens with entry from front.

iv)                Navi Mumbai: 11 Day care Center at Navi Mumbai Municiapl Corporation. The corporation has provided the place, 3 tables, 12 chairs, carom,chess, TV and 5 daily newspapers in each centre. These centres are maintained by NGO but payment of electric & water is paid by Corporation. A Special Senior Citizen Cell is set under chairmanship of Mayor & Municipal Commissioner with reprentatives of senior citizens. A grand programme is arranged on World Elder Daywith felicitations & prize distributions etc.  75% concession in their buses is also given. Free medical treatment is given to all senior citizens in their hospital.

v)                  Pimpri Chinchwad: 1 Day care Centre at Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation. The corporation has given the place and pays for Monthly maintenance of Electricity, Water and Security.

vi)                Pune: The Day Care Centre for Senior Citizens run by the Pune Municipal Corporation is open for recreation between 4 and 7 p.m. The centre has a library apart from involving the senior citizens in group discussions, music concerts and craft work. Medical guidance is provided on every Saturday between 4 and 5 p.m. The centre also provides legal aid. The members participate in the traffic awareness drive.

vii)              Surat to set up 7 Day Care Centres for Senior Citizens: Surat Municipal Corporation is now going to develop seven Day Care Units for senior citizens in its all seven zones. First such ‘Day Care Unit’ for senior citizens will come up in Rander zone’s Adajan area with capacity to accommodate at least 50 to 70 old age persons. It will be built on a reserve plot behind Adajan’s Gangeshwar Mahadev temple located at Honey Park road. Proposed ground plus one floor Adajan Day care centre will house a TV room, elevator, temple, conference room, garden, music instruments for Bhajan, reading room, game instruments, and other facilities that can be enjoyed by senior citizens. Medical check-up facility would be available free of cost twice every week in the proposed Day Care Unit.

viii)            Indore Municipal Corporation has given Medi-claim Health Insurance cover to 50000 Senior Citizens of Indore City for Rs 20000 for each Senior Citizen without payment of single paisa as premium from Senior Citizens.

3.      Government of India had announced National Policy on Older Persons, 1999 on 13-2-99 with the approval of Cabinet. This document is masterpiece containing all aspects of Elders` life. Para 97 lays down that Panchayati Raj Institutions will be encouraged to participate in implementation of this Policy, address local level issues and needs of Elders and implement various programmes for them. They will provide Forums for discussing concerns of Elders & activities required to be provided. In para 54, it is laid down that Civic Authorities & Bodies providing Public Utilities will be required to give priority to attending to representations/complaints of Elders. Payment of Civic Dues will be facilitated. Elders will be given special considerations in promptly dealing with matters relating to transfer of property, mutation, property tax & other matters, harassments & abuses in such cases will be checked. Working Group on ``Social Welfare``(October, 2011) for XIIth Five Year Plan has laid down that all Panchayats must come forward & take advantage of financial assistance for various projects under the Scheme of Integrated Programme and provide various schemes in their areas. Each Panchayat must earmark at least 5% fund from their untied funds for welfare activities of senior citizens. Every Panchayat must play a lead role in disbursement of various welfare programmes/schemes for senior citizens. They should create Single Window for all benefits to senior citizens. They should provide Recreation Facilities like Community Centres with television, library, yoga centre etc. They should actively initiate awareness generation & sensitization programme regarding need for well being, safety & rights of senior citizens in schools & colleges. Similarly in Urban Areas, Municipalities and Corporations need to play a key role in disbursement of benefits & earmark 5% of funds for welfare of senior citizens.

4.      Forums for discussion: Para 97 provides that Municipalities will provide Forums for discussing concerns of Older Persons & Activities that need to be taken. Such Forums will be encouraged at Panchayat, Municipal, Block & District level. They will have adequate representation of older women. Panchayats will mobilize the talents & skills of older persons & draw up plans for utilizing them at local level. District Councils laid down in Rules framed by States under Maintenance & Welfare of Parents & Senior Citizens Act, 2007 are also not established. Arrangements are required to be made to obtain details of all Registered Associations/Organizations working for senior Citizens in their areas and instructions should be issued to all Departments concerned in main office of Municipality and Ward Officers to hold regular consultations with local Associations of Senior Citizens and endorse copy of all circulars/instructions affecting elders to these Organizations. Similar list should be available with each Ward Officer for their jurisdiction. Meetings, Seminars etc should be held for inter action with elders periodically.

5.      Integrated Programmes for Older Persons (IPOP)- Revised Scheme effective from 1-4-2008: This programme for Elders is in respect of providing 16 schemes like Day Care Centres etc. Para 6 of the Revised Scheme has made Panchayati Raj Institutions & Local Bodies as main implementing Agencies. Each Local Body must make out a time bound programme for each ward to provide these Welfare Schemes, as 90% of recurring & non-recurring expenditure will be borne by Ministry of Social Justice, Delhi.

6.      Celebrating International Day of Older Persons (IDOP):  All Local Bodies must observe this Day on 1^st October every year. ``World Awareness Day of Abuse of Older Persons`` on 15^th June is also required to be celebrated. These celebrations will create proper atmosphere of Respect for Elders in the Society.

7.      Vayoshestha Sanmans:  Nodal Ministry has given a list of 10 Sanmans given by them every year, which they give in celebration of IDOP. All Local Bodies should also give similar Sanmans on World Elders Day to Senior Citizens of their areas.

8.      Policy provides that Local Bodies will lay down model instructions for builders for providing various facilities keeping in view ageing & lifestyle requirements of elders in all buildings, specially to ensure that no physical barriers to their mobility exist, Easy accessibility to shopping complexes, reservation of 10% of houses in big colonies and Housing Boards for elders, Group Housing for elders (paras 48 to 54 of Policy).

9.      Local Bodies must provide more Nana-Nani Parks and separate earmarking for seniors in existing gardens with sufficient benches, zoolas & other facilities.

10.  Each Ward Officer to be made Friend, Philosopher & Family Member of all elders in their area, making it obligatory to have full details of all elders staying in their jurisdiction and visit them occasionally.

11.   Creating awareness amongst elders of each ward about facilities given and available by all agencies-govt, municipalities as well as corporate & private bodies, NGOs etc.

12.  Concessions in Municipal buses fares with free travel for very elder ladies, toll tax etc should also be considered.

13.   Footpaths with handles, Zebra Crossings etc should be provided in all areas also.

14.  Hospitals: As many Hospitals are under Municipalities, the following should be provided:

i)                     Separate ques at present are formed in Municipal Hospitals only for taking out case paper and senior citizens have to be in common que for going to Doctor of Faculty concerned. Instructions are required to be issued for separate ques for going to Dr and getting medicines also. Such instructions are necessary to Shopping Malls for Payment Counters and all other organizations providing public utility under licensing control of Local Bodies.

ii)                   Separate Health Care Units for Senior Citizens are required to be provided, as envisaged by Ministry of Health & F.W. in National Programme for Health Care of Elderly (NPHCE).

iii)                  Geriatric Units in Hospitals attached to Municipal Medical Colleges as per NPHCE and Physiotherapy Units at CHE as per NPHCE should be provided.

iv)                 Instructions to Private Charitable Hospitals/Clinics/Pathological units etc to provide separate ques, free treatment to poor & at concessional rate to others and various actions as per paras 33 to 54 of NPOP, 99 for Health & Nutrition and Public Trust Acts.

v)                   As all Old Men Homes do not keep immobile seniors, Local Bodies may consider providing Old Men Homes exclusively for immobile elders, just as they provide Night Shelters for homeless citizens.

vi)                 Counseling Centres for Elders are very much necessary.

vii)              Provide free medical facilities in all Municipal Hospitals to Elders.