Sunday, August 4, 2013

Non-implementation by Maharashtra of Various Policies notified by the Government of India and State Government for Senior Citizens.

Senior Citizens National Protest Day-16-8-13 (SCNPD).
``Right Every Wrong``              Satyamev Jayte.
M.V.Ruparelia, A 503 Rashmi Utsav, Near Jangid Estate & Vijay Park, Mira Road (East), Dist. Thane-Maharashtra-401107.E/Mail: mvrup@yahoo.co.in M: 09821732855.
MEMRANDUM TO OUR BELOVED CHIEF MINISTER Shri Prithviraj Chavan
BY THE SENIOR CITIZENS OF Maharashtra.
                                                                                                     Date: 4th August, 2013.
To,
Honorable Shri Prithviraj Chavan
Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Mantralaya, Mumbai: 400032.

Sub:  Non-implementation by Maharashtra of Various Policies notified by the Government of India and State Government  for Senior Citizens.
Ref: i) Our more than 100 Representations, Reminders and E/Mails in last 3 years.
ii) Strictures passed by State Information Commissioner, Maharashtra in his Speaking Orders in Appeals no.1510/2012/02 dt 9-11-12; Appeal no. 6852/02 dt 11-7-11 and Appeal no. 5949/02 dt27-8-10.
1.     As you may be aware, Government of India has notified National Policy for Older Persons, 99 with the approval of Cabinet on 13-2-99. It was provided in its Mandate & Policy Statement to take effective steps to improve the quality of life of all Elders, strengthen their legitimate place in society and help them to live their last spell of life with purpose, dignity and peace. Para 18 of the Policy provides that age 60+ is a phase, when individual should have chances and opportunities to lead an active, creative, productive and satisfying life. It is unfortunate and deploring situation that Most Progressive State of Maharashtra has not yet adopted and notified State Policy till date. Expectations of your 1.2 crore Elders promised by Government in Policy, 99 are not met with, which is considered as Elder Abuse by Maharashtra Government as per definition of INPEA. State government is the apex authority of Government of India at the state level to formulate policies, sponsor and support programmes of the Government. It is regretted that not a single Ministry/Department of Maharashtra State has sincerely taken any steps to act as per these provisions in Mandate & Policy Statement and on other provisions of the Policy, 99 even after 14 full years. We have been representing to you, concerned Ministers by name for our various demands through Memorandum issued on first Protest day of 16-8-10, second Solidarity Day on 16-8-11 and third Solidarity Day on 16-8-12. We have also been requesting you well in advance of preparation of Budgets to provide funds for our demands but no sincere efforts are made to implement various provisions of various policies announced by the Government. We observe that Elders of the State are repeatedly ignored by State & Local Bodies of Maharashtra  and as such 1.2 crore Senior Citizens have united and decided to observe again 16-8-13 as State Protest Day. We have full faith in your leadership and appreciate your actions for giving Rajiv Gandhi Jeevandayee Arogya Yojna (RGJAY) & appointing Tribunals under Rules framed on 23-6-10 on Maintenance & Welfare of Parents & Senior Citizens Act, 2007.We observe that you are very sincere and straightforward and having wish to follow the Vision & Mission to facilitate pursuit of excellence in governance for the benefit of all citizens and to foster excellence in governance and pursuit of administrative reforms through improvements in government structures and processes; Promoting citizen-centric governance with emphasis on grievance redressal etc. We, therefore, request you to talk to each of your Minister and Secretaries and to write personal D.O. letter  to personally look in to all provisions of this Policy, 99, adopt State Policy and  take immediate action on each provision of this 14 year old Policy by preparing Five Year and Annual Action Plans for their areas of function.
i)                We fail to understand why this step motherly attitude by your Ministers and Secretaries is adopted only towards 1.2 crore Elders (10% of total population, 13% of electorate and 21% of effective voters). In addition to not accepting the Policy, your officers refuse to take action on various directives/orders issued by Nodal Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment even after our pointing out repeatedly. If there is some difficulty in accepting one or some provisions of NPOP, 99 by State, action on acceptable provisions can be taken for benefits of your Elders. Not issuing instructions for acceptable provisions to subordinate offices is not a Fair Policy of the State. Even in absence of notification of State Policy, the following actions for which separate instructions are given by Nodal Ministry and which State is otherwise also require to take action can be taken by the State Government for welfare of their Elders, which is not being done:-
i)                Negotiating Machinery: One of the main requirement of NPOP, 99 and  democracy is wide dissemination of information to Senior Citizens and their Organizations, so that they can function as watchdog, energize continuing action, mobilize public opinion and generate pressure for implementation of Policy, as laid down in para 91. Para 72 lays down that there will be continuous dialogue and communications with NGOs on ageing issues and on services to be provided. Para 90 provides that National Policy will be widely disseminated. Negotiation & Dissemination is completely neglected by the State. At present, there is no Negotiating Machinery in the State for negotiations with 1.2 crore Senior Citizens of Maharashtra. State Council is not established inspite of D.O. letters from Nodal Minister. State Council & District Councils laid down in Rules 21 & 22 framed by State under Maintenance & Welfare Act, 2007 are also not established even after notifying Rules on 23-6-10. Arrangements may please be made to obtain details of all Registered Associations/Organizations working for senior Citizens and issue instructions to all Departments to hold regular consultations with local Associations of Senior Citizens and endorse copy of all circulars/instructions affecting elders to Federations/State level Organizations. Similar list should be available with each Panchayat/ Municipality & each Ward Officer for their jurisdiction. State & Local Bodies should call for Meetings, Seminars etc for inter action with elders periodically.
ii)              Integrated Programmes for Older Persons (IPOP)- Revised Scheme effective from 1-4-2008: Nodal Ministry has advised that as against National Allocation  to Maharashtra for this purpose in year 2008-09 of Rs 150 lakhs, only Rs 49.92 and against NA for 2009-10 of Rs 75 lakhs, only Rs 47.07 were released as per State Demand.  Para 6 of the Revised Scheme has made Panchayati Raj Institutions & Local Bodies as main implementing Agencies. No instructions have been issued to these agencies by concerned Ministries. Kindly make out a time bound programme for each Panchayat & Municipal Units to provide these 16 Welfare Schemes in each ward within a year as 90% of recurring & major part of non-recurring expenditure will be borne by Ministry of Social Justice, Delhi. Wide & repeated Publicity will make lot of difference to the lives of Elders. Instructions may please be issued to District Magistrates (Rule 19) for giving wide and regular publicity of the Act and welfare programmes for Elders by State and Central governments, sensitize officers for welfare of elders; to Police (Para 20) to gather full and up to date lists of all senior citizens in each police station, nominate volunteers` committees and regular visits of those staying alone; set State Council and District Committees (Para 21-22).
ii)              Provide Avenues of Utilization of Elders: Even after 14 years of formation of the Policy for overall upliftment of Senior Citizens in paras 20, 21, 31, 55, 78, 79 etc, nothing is done for their proper utilization by State. Many senior citizens feel lonely and require some avenues of passing their time usefully. State should provide proper education and avenues of utilization of Elders, which will play a significant and remedial role in balancing the socio-economic fabric of the State. 1.2 Crore Elders of the State are huge untapped resource for which facilities are to be made available to use their potentiality as per their choice.
iii)            Health Care: Policy envisages Health Care for all, free to lower income & subsidized to higher income groups. Rajeev Gandhi Jeevandayee Arogya Yojna may please be extended to Senior Citizens having more than one lakh income by prescribing subsidized premium.
iv)             Celebrating International Day of Older Persons (IDOP):  It is observed that this Day is neither observed by State at various levels nor by Panchayati Raj & Municipal Bodies in Maharashtra inspite of repeated instructions from Nodal Ministry every year. Instructions for celebrating ``World Awareness Day of Abuse of Older Persons`` on 15th June are also not issued. These celebrations will create proper atmosphere of Respect for Elders in the Society.
v)               Vayoshestha Sanmans:  Nodal Ministry has given a list of 10 Sanmans given by them every year, which they give in celebration of IDOP. Our State should also give similar Sanmans at State/District/Panchayat-Municipal levels.
vi)             Involve Panchayati Raj Institutions & Municipalities For Welfare of Senior Citizens: Panchayati Raj Institutions and Local Bodies are to be encouraged to initiate & participate in all schemes of Welfare of Elders, address local level issues & needs of the ageing population and implement programmes for them. They 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. Local Bodies will mobilize the talents & skills of older persons & draw up plans for utilizing these at local level. Kindly issue necessary instructions to all Local Bodies and monitor the progress, as this will lead to real welfare of Elders of Maharashtra. Ministry of Panchayati Raj, Delhi has reiterated these instructions recently under their letter no. F.No. M.11011/06/2011-P&C(AR) dt 30-10-12.
vii)           Instructions to our Media, Trusts, Charitable Hospitals/State & Municipal Hospitals, NGOs , Civic Authorities etc:  Kindly issue necessary instructions to all Stake Holders in Maharashtra for looking after the welfare of Elders, as laid down in Mandate & Policy Statement and various other provisions of Policy, 99 and Maintenance Act, 2007 so that they start doing their work on provisions pertaining to them, which may lead to our Elders leading dignified life during their last spell of life.
viii)         Annual Report of work done in the State for its Elders: At present any good work done for Elders by State is not known to Citizens. An annual report for all work done for Elders in the State should be prepared and brought out in Media on every International Day for Older Persons. This will not only monitor various actions by all authorities but boost morale of Elders of Maharashtra.
ix)             Create respect for Elders in the Society & Government at every level: It is observed that Elders of the State are not treated well in Society, as were being treated earlier-Matru Devo Bhav-Pitru Devo Bhav. Recent Help Age Report on Elder Abuse indicates this. They are treated as ``Spent Force`` by State Government, which is apparent in non adoption of the Policy for 14 years. Para 15 of Policy, 99 states that State will strengthen the legitimate place of Elders in the Society. Para 18 states that Elders should have chances and opportunities to lead an active, creative, productive and satisfying life. State has to strengthen inter generational bonds and mutually supporting relationships. State has to encourage capable Senior Citizens to provide service to other senior citizens in need of help. It is necessary that the Family Support System continues to be functional to discharge its caring responsibilities, sensitizing the young on necessity & desirability of inter generational bonding etc. Each provision in Policy is important and requires highlighting by your Publicity Department. Various provisions of Maintenance & Welfare of Parents & Senior Citizens Act, 2007 & Rules, 2010 about looking after Elders by Children, providing meeting places and safety by Police etc also need highlighting & propaganda. Cooperation of all Newspapers, private TV Channels and Bollywood etc is absolutely necessary for creative use of entire Media for highlighting continuously the changing situations of Elders, active ageing, intergeneration bonds etc. Only one episode of Satyamev Jayate has brought lot of awareness. Pre advertised and pre fixed slots and participation of entire Media including Bollywood, Newspapers & all TV channels are to be encouraged/instructed by State.
2.     No action is taken on various provisions of Maintenance & Welfare of Parents & Senior Citizens Rules notified in Gazette no. 86 dt 23-6-10, though more than 3 years are over. Please, get immediate action taken on the following provisions:-
i)                Please, give Wide Publication to Tribunals, giving copies to various Associations & NGOs.
ii)              Take action to provide Old Age Home in each District.(Rule 18)
iii)            Issue Instructions to all Police Stations for protection of Life & Property, visiting lonely Senior Citizens, collecting data of all Sr Citizens in area of each Police Station, Police Help Line for each Police Station etc. (Rule 20)
iv)             Wide Publicity of the Act, Central/State/Municipality Programmes for Welfare of Senior Citizens by District Magistrates (Rule 19)
v)               Provide State Council  & District Committees (Rule 21 & 22).
3.     Medical Treatment in Municipal Hospitals in Mumbai:  As per State GR no. 2006/navi-20 dt 12-12-06, free treatment is to be given to all Senior Citizens in all Municipal Hospitals. All Hospitals, except 3 major Hospitals of Nair, KEM & Sion have given in writing that they are giving free treatment to all Senior Citizens. These 3 major Hospitals are defying the State Orders for last 7 years and do not give free treatment to Senior Citizens. You may please take up with concerned defaulters and get this done very early.
4.     State Web Site is very complicated and as such there is a necessity of separate Web Site for Senior Citizens of Maharashtra with Grievance Solving Machinery. This may kindly be done.

Thanking You,

Yours Sincerely

(M.V.Ruparelia)

Copy forwarded to

1.     Shri R.R.Patil, Minister of Home Affairs, Mantralaya, Mumbai-400032.
2.     Shri Shivaji Rao  Moghe, Minister of Social Justice, Mantralaya, Mumbai-400032.
3.     Shri Sunil Tatkare, Minister of Finance, Mantralaya, Mumbai-400032.
4.     Shri Sachin Mohan Ahir, State Minister of Social Justice, Mantralaya, Mumbai-400032.


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