M.V.Ruparelia, Chief
Patron, All India Senior Citizens Confederation (AISCCON),
A503 Rashmi Utsav, Near
Jangid Estate & Vijay Park, Mira Road (E). District Thane,
To
Date: 29-1-14.
Chairman,
National Human Rights Commission,
Manav
Adhikar Bhawan, Block C, GPO Complex, INA,
New
Delhi-110001.
Sub:
Violation of Human Right of Negotiations with Government for 12 crore Elders of
the Country.
There
are 12 crore Elders in the Country, who are denied the Right of Negotiation
with Government and proper Machinery for Negotiation is not being created
inspite of repeated representations.
1.
As you may be aware, Government of India, with the approval
of Cabinet, notified National Policy of Older Persons (NPOP) on 13-2-99. As
per para 96 of this Policy, an autonomous registered National Association of
Older Persons (NAOP) at National, State & District levels was to be
established to ``mobilize Senior
Citizens, particulate their interests, promote & undertake programmes &
activities for their wellbeing & to advise the Government on all matters
relating to older persons.`` No action is taken in 15 years to form such
useful negotiating Machinery nor any of the existing registered
Confederation/Federation/Associations is recognized for various purposes like making Senior
Citizens at grass routes know the policy of the Government for Senior Citizens;
making Senior Citizens to know about various circulars, instructions, facilities,
grants, celebrations, Vayoshreshta Sanman Awards rules, forms, last date etc.
At present, not a single Association of Senior Citizens gets any information
from any Ministry dealing with matters pertaining to Senior Citizens. To-day, there is no machinery to listen
to the voices of Senior Citizens or to get information of what Government is
doing for their Elders.
2. Ministry of Personnel, P.G.
& Pensions, which is a Nodal Ministry for all Pensioners of all
departments, has recognized as many as 78 Associations of Pensioners and these
are supplied with all circulars and are allowed to represent the grievances of
pensioners. 27 Associations of them have been provided with Pension
Portals-Hard ware, Soft ware & Training at the cost of Ministry and are
paid Rs 75000 p.a. for telephone, internet connection, stationery, AMC/Battery
replacement, subsidy towards rent for office building, water, electricity etc
and honorarium of part time Data Entry Operator to each of these 27
Associations (Ministry of Personnel`s no. Lr.No55(6)2012-P&P© dt
28-3-12). They have established SCOVA,
which meets regularly. Their Web Site provides direct contact with them by
Pensioners & Associations for their grievances.
3.
Our
Nodal Ministry of Social Justice has not recognized a single Association or
sending a single circular to any of the Associations. Web Site for Senior
Citizens is also complicated and not kept up to date and most of the time
difficult to get connected for a particular subject. All major Associations of
Senior Citizens are publishing monthly magazines/news letters and having Web
Sites and as such recognizing them and sending circulars etc to them will
result in the information reaching to many grassroots Senior Citizens. It
is absolutely necessary that all such major Associations are immediately
recognized by Nodal Ministry and SCOVA type Negotiating Machinery making all
ministries to participate in such Machinery must be created immediately for 12
crore Elders of the Country. All Ministries including Pension Ministry (as
these Associations deal with Pensioners also) are required to be ordered by the
Commission to send copies of all communications pertaining to Senior Citizens
to various Associations. According to Allocation of Business Rules of
Government of India, though Ministry of Social Justice is allotted the work of
welfare of senior citizens as a Nodal Ministry, overall management and monitoring etc.
of the sectoral programmes in respect of Senior Citizens is the responsibility
of the concerned Central Ministries, State Governments and Union territory
Administrations.
As
most of the States/UTs have not constituted State Councils laid down in
National Policy, 99 or State Councils, District Committees, Volunteers
Committees at each Police station as laid down in Statutory Act of Maintenance
& Welfare of Parents & Senior Citizens Act, 2007, orders are also to be
given to them by the Commission for recognizing State-level Associations and
send them all circulars with facility of representation.
4. National Council of Senior
Citizens (NCSrC) provided as per para 95 of Policy, 99 does not serve any
purpose having only 5 representatives from Associations of Senior Citizens and
5 from Associations of Pensioners for representing 12 crore Elders and not
meeting for years together, sincerely and seriously. Last 2 meetings of this
committee were held on 23-10-09 and 2-11-11, though required to be held twice
in a year. No meeting is held for last 3 years. Formation
of New National Council was notified in Gazette of India on 22-2-12 but Council
is not yet formed even after two years of notification. No action is being
taken on suggestions of representatives neither of senior citizens nor on
minutes nor even minutes notified in web site in time. Policies & Acts
notified by Government are not implemented for years together, representations
from Associations & individuals are not being replied!!
It is very much necessary that
Commission looks in to this sorry plight of 12 crore Elders of the Country and
get them at least their Right to Negotiate, if not the notified facilities etc!
Thanking you,
Yours Sincerely,
(M.V.Ruparelia)
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