VII th Pay Commission- Suggestions for other than Pay.

Dear Friend,                                                Date: 20-3-14.

Sub: VII th Pay Commission- Suggestions for other than Pay.

As number of retired employees is increasing day by day and a Day is not far away, when retired staff will outnumber the serving employees, it is necessary for us to get proper facilities from our employers for retired staff, keeping in view present day requirements of elder persons. Rules framed by various Ministries for retired staff are very old and were framed, when there were a few surviving retired staff and their requirements were almost negligible. Time has changed and life span has increased tremendously and due to economic progress of the country, requirements of elder persons have also increased. Various Ministries are reluctant to give more facilities to the retired staff and not prepared to change their existing rules for retired staff. It is therefore necessary that we approach VIIth Pay Commission to provide various facilities, as declared by the Government in 4 National Policies for welfare of senior citizens viz NPOP, 99; IPOP; Maintenance Act, 2007 & NPHCE, as retired staff do not prefer to go to other agencies for such benefits. For this, I enclose my earlier Note dt 30-7-13 to you and request to consider adding these requirements in your suggestions to VII th Pay Commission.

Dear Friend,                                                   Date. 30-7-13.

Sub: Help of SCOVA for implementation of Provisions of NPOP, 99 & M&WPSC Act, 2007, useful to Pensioners also.

1.     All Ministries of Central & State/UT governments are the apex authority of Government of India at the national/state level to formulate policies, sponsor and support programmes of the Government. Government has notified a National Policy for Older Persons, 99 with the approval of Cabinet, which gives mandate and Policy Statement for being followed by all Ministries/departments of Government to make effective provisions to improve the quality of life of all Elders including Pensioners, strengthen their legitimate place in society and help them to live their last spell of life with purpose, dignity and peace. Please, see paras 12 to 23 of Policy, 99, which are for all Ministries. The Department of Pension & Pensioners' Welfare is the nodal department for formulation of policies relating to pension and other retirement benefits of Central Govt. employees covered under CCS (Pension) Rules, 1972. Apart from formulation of pension policy for the Central Govt. Pensioners/Family Pensioners, it also seeks to promote pensioners welfare and serves as a forum for the redressal of Pensioners' grievances. You are therefore requested to consider the following aspects, affecting large number of pensioners  and get them solved by Pension Department through SCOVA, as necessary. 

2.     Each Ministry must look after its retired employees and give them all facilities like medical, use of clubs/welfare centres/holiday homes etc as given to working employees, concessions in fare of all transport systems, tourist guest houses etc. All Ministries must give preference to representations from Pensioners and other Senior Citizens. They should provide Welfare Fund for retired staff on lines with Staff Benefit Fund of Railways, as provided for serving employees. Their retired employees should be called in celebrations of all their functions open for serving employees to maintain contact and encouraging them to participate in such gatherings to help them inter act with others, overcome loneliness and give them their legitimate place in society. World Elder Day on 1^st October etc every year should be celebrated by all Ministries at all places having concentration of retired employees, facilitating interaction between old & young and strengthen bonds between different age groups. Comprehensive circular from Pension Ministry to all Ministries will go a long way to get some facilities to retired staff.

3.     Many pensioners feel lonely and require some avenues of passing their time usefully. Ministry of Human Resource Development has to provide proper education to retired staff, which plays a significant and remedial role in balancing the socio-economic fabric of the Country. 12 crore Elders of the Country are declared  as huge untapped resource by Government of India with approval of Cabinet on 13-2-99 in National Policy, 99 (Para 78) for which facilities are to be made available to use their potentiality as per their choice. This Ministry must develop this untapped resource of the Country for last spell of their life and provide avenues for utilization of this experienced vast human force of 12 crore Elders. Special programmes are required to be designed, so that they can enrich and update their knowledge, integrate tradition with contemporary needs and transmit more effectively the Socio-Cultural heritage to school children and youths. As per para 81 of Policy, 99, programmes are to be developed to promote family values, sensitize the young on the necessity & desirability of inter-generational bonding and continuity of meeting filial obligations of children. Loneliness created due to no developmental programmes by this Ministry is creating a very big Social Problem in the entire Country. Just as employment guarantee is provided to rural population by enacting Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) and Bharat Nirman etc, Urban Senior Citizens should also be provided ample avenues of employment by passing suitable Act/ordinance and increasing retirement age etc.

4.     As pensioners find it difficult to procure proper houses after retirement and face various difficulties due to no facilities being given by Municipalities/Panchayats, it is necessary to convince Ministries of Housing, Urban Development and Panchayati Raj Institutes to implement the following:

 i) Para 48 of the Policy lays down that Housing Schemes will earmark 10% of the houses, house sites for Elders. Elders will be given easy access to loans for purchase of houses, repairs etc.

ii)              As per para 49, layout of housing colonies will have to respond to the life style of Elders etc.

iii)            Para 50 encourages Group Housing for Elders.

iv)             Para 61expects grants in aid to voluntary organizations for providing subsidized housing to poor elders.

v)               Para 82 expects policies to encourage younger generation to co-reside with elders and to be given preference in allotment of houses, NGOs to be encouraged to provide in-house service to elders etc. There is necessity of proper provisions for poverty alleviation of Elders in urban areas etc.

vi)             Para 97 lays down that Panchayati Raj Institutions (Municipalities included) 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.

vii)           Municipalities are required to provide a) Day Care Centres etc as per Integrated Programme of Ministry of S.J.& E. in each ward to enable pensioners and other senior citizens to pass time with their fellowmen. b) Constitute Ward Councils for consultations for Civic Problems by appointing seniors of the area, preferably from local association. c) Provide Community Buildings for welfare activities for all citizens, giving separate space for seniors, arranging inter generation activities with students, youths etc. d) Provide avenues for part time jobs, honorary utilization by giving training, as necessary. e) Have model instructions for builders for providing various facilities keeping in view ageing & lifestyle requirements of elders in all buildings, specially no physical barriers to their mobility, 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). f) Provide more Nana-Nani Parks and separate earmarking for seniors in existing gardens with sufficient benches, zoolas & other facilities. Develop some gardens on line with Veer Savarkar Garden at Borivali (Mumbai) having sufficient built up place for Associations of Senior Citizens. g)  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. h) Creating awareness amongst elders of each ward about facilities given and available by all agencies-government as well as corporate & private bodies, NGOs etc. i) Concessions in fares in Municipal Transport with free travel for very elder ladies, toll tax etc. j)  Footpaths with handles, Zebra Crossings etc should be provided.

Hospitals: As Hospitals are under Municipalities, the following may also be provided by Municipalities/Panchayats:

k)  Separate ques at present are formed in Municipal Hospitals only for taking out case paper and elders have to be in common que for going to Doctor of Faculty concerned and for medicines. 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.

l) Separate Health Care Units for Senior Citizens, as envisaged by Ministry of Health & F.W. in National Programme for Health Care of Elderly (NPHCE). m)  Geriatric Units in Hospitals attached to Medical Colleges as per NPHCE and Physiotherapy Units at CHE as per NPHCE. n) 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. o)  As all Old Men Homes do not keep immobile seniors, Corporations may consider providing Old Men Homes exclusively for immobile elders, just as they provide Night Shelters for homeless citizens. p) Counseling Centres for Elders are very much necessary. q)  Provide free medical facilities in all Municipal Hospitals to Elders. r)  Celebrations of World Elder Day, World Elder Abuse Awareness Day etc should also be at each Ward level with Vayoshreshtha Awards.

viii)         Although CGHS facility exists for many pensioners, there is need for better medical facilities by each Ministry. The following major activities proposed under National Programme for Health Care of Elderly should be provided by Ministries like Railways, Defence etc having independent Medical Facilities and included in CGHS scheme:

 A)  Development of 30 bedded health care units for Elderly Persons in 25 Medical Colleges in the Country. (Such Units, as necessary depending on number of Elders in an area may be provided in Zonal Hospitals).

B) Development of 10 bedded Geriatric Units at District Hospitals in 100 districts of the Country @ 4 districts attached to each Medical College.(Such Units can be provided in Divisional Hospitals).

C) Development of Physiotherapy Unit at all the CHCs.

 D) Weekly once OPD for Elderly for specialist-consultations and arrangement for Health Melas at the level of PHCs.

E) Involvement of ASHA at Community Level. 

F) As regards the NIAs, these should be the apex referral institutes. Basic aim of these institutes will be development of specialized manpower, research in gerontology and patient care.

 G) Health Ministry has started accreditation of Hospitals and Health Providers to ensure better medical service to Senior Citizens.

 H) Director General of Health Services has carried out projects on training of health manpower as well as developing training modules on geriatrics for different health functionaries for the purpose of providing training.

I) As regards provision of geriatric wards in all the hospitals, article 20 of

`` Maintenance and Welfare of Parents & senior Citizens Act, 2007`` directs to provide beds for all senior citizens as far as possible.

J)  One of the important components of NPHCE is information, communication and education. Strategy should be devised to increase awareness of the community in respect of the role of balanced diet, proper exercise, yoga etc in prevention and control of diseases.

6. The following provisions, if got implemented, will be beneficial to Pensioners also:-

i) Para 35: To expand the health services in various Railways, Defence and CGHS hospitals/dispensaries for preventive, rehabilitative and geriatric care facilities for retired employees as per NPHCE.

ii) Para 39: To issue instructions at yearly intervals for separate ques for retired employees for case papers, going to various doctors and medicines and to ensure its implementation by monitoring and/or reiterating instructions in all Government & Municipal Hospitals, as at present these instructions are not followed at many places. In most of the Municipal & State Hospitals, separate que is provided only for case paper. Geriatric wards should be set up in all Government/Municipal Hospitals.

iii) Para 40, 41, 86: To issue instructions for training of Doctors & other Para-Medical staff for proper care and respect for retired employees. To provide Mobile care and hospice care for bed ridden employees in various hospitals.

iv) Para 42 & 43: To issue instructional/guidance/nutritional material on self care of retired employees.

v) Para 44 & 45: To issue instructions to promote healthy ageing amongst the retired staff. To issue instructions to treat their retired elders properly and to educate them for healthy ageing and to provide facilities of yoga, meditation etc. There should be proper education programs for retired staff and they should be taken on Advisory Committees to bring out difficulties faced by them in getting treatment, keeping in view the spirit of NPOP, 99. Repeated orientation training and instructions to treat retired staff with respect by Doctors and staff are necessary.

vi) Para 46: To provide Counseling facilities in various hospitals.

vii) Para 68: a) To give 50% concession to all Senior Citizens,  as by Air & State Road Transport without distinguishing between Gents & Ladies in all transports, Holiday Homes, Tourist Homes etc.

 b) No quota is fixed for reservation for Senior Citizens in many of the transport systems, including Railways, though large quotas are given for ladies, handicaps, military & VIPs. Senior Citizens above 70-75 are more vulnerable than handicaps and ladies. More quotas may be given.

b) In suburban trains also, not only some compartments but entire trains are reserved for ladies but Senior Citizens are denied a small separate coach in IInd Class compartments and some seats in 1^st Class compartments, as given to handicaps. Separate Entrance in existing coach by blocking one side will serve the purpose. With the deteriorating health condition, when they are required to go to doctors, consultants, Hospitals etc in the morning for pathological tests, they are facing hardships and as such, they should be provided separate coach/ separate entrance or permitted to go in coaches/trains reserved for ladies & handicaps in all suburban, Metro trains.

viii) Para 68:  All Ministries/Departments are having large number of Holiday Homes, Rest Houses, Convalescent Homes etc but retired staff are not given concessions in rent though provision of this para provides for concession to Senior Citizens. Railways are charging 1 ½ times to what is charged to serving employees.

ix) Para 70: Each Ministry is having  big Publicity Department and issue large number of advertisements for various purposes but no efforts are made by any Ministry to  highlight the issues pertaining to their retired staff every year on 1^st October and call them on that occasion for Get-Together and meeting each other and know about their problems etc. Existing Welfare Branches at Ministry as well as local levels can be instructed to do needful, as envisaged in various paras of the Policy.

x) Para 73: All Ministries are having well organized and Efficient Negotiating Machinery, except Ministry of Social Justice for Senior Citizens. They may be pursued to have continuous dialogue with Pensioners` Associations and NGOs doing welfare of Senior Citizens of their departments and recognize/encourage Associations of Senior Citizens by giving accommodation, place for their meetings etc. Those having Welfare Centres, clubs etc, these can be allowed for retired staff & their Association of Senior Citizens.

xi) Para 76: All Ministries can encourage participation of retired staff in their various programmes. They can also provide Colonies for Retired Staff with basic facilities.

xii) Para 78 & 79: Having worked, retired staff has specialized in their field and are well trained to tackle various works efficiently. All Ministries need trained staff in different circumstances and also during vacation period, there is lot of absenteeism. Retired staff should be engaged freely without any age restriction and this will enrich & update their knowledge and help them to avoid loneliness and helpful financially.

xiii) Para 93: Annual Plan & Five Year Plan for implementing various provisions of the Policy are required to be prepared by each Ministry. This will help them implement various provisions of Policy pertaining to them expeditiously.

xiv) Maintenance & Welfare of Parents & Senior Citizens Act, 2007 requires each District Magistrates to ensure regular & wide publicity of the provisions of the Act and all programmes of welfare of senior citizens by Central & State governments. If this is got done, pensioners of the area will be bbenifited a lot. State Councils and District Committees legislated in the Act will also give lot of advantages to pensioners.

xv) Each Police Station is required to have up to date list of all senior citizens including pensioners in that area, provide toll free help line and constitute Volunteers Committees. If this is got done, many pensioners will be benefited.