M.V.Ruparelia, Senior
Citizen aged 81, Chief Patron, All India Senior Citizens Confederation
(AISCCON).
A503 Rashmi Utsav, Near
Jangid Estate & Vijay Park, Mira Road (E). District Thane, Maharashtra.
To
Date: 17-6-14.
Dr.
Alexander Thomas
Director (CEO)
Bangalore Baptist Hospital, Bengaluru.560001.
Director (CEO)
Bangalore Baptist Hospital, Bengaluru.560001.
I am very much thankful to you for sending me `Aspirations for the Elderly in India', a national consultative report. I have gone through the
entire Report prepared by the team of India Backbone Implementation Network
(IbIn) and find it very important and useful in respect of 5 priorities for
elder care. National Think Tank deserves heartfelt thanks from 12 crore Senior
Citizens of the Country for taking so much trouble and work out strategies for
implementation. We have to find out ways and means to get all Stake Holders
start working on these strategies. It is gratifying to note that India @75 has
a vast Vision and will take appropriate action to achieve this for senior
citizens. Vision of IbIn is ``India To-day`` and as such, we hope it will work
on transferring its Vision in to reality and bring Rights & Welfare of
Elders as early as possible instead of waiting for India becoming 75. As
desired by you, I would very much like to contribute to the cause. Kindly,
advise the line of action, I have to follow.
All principles and
strategies laid down in the Report are contained in National Policy, 99, which
are not implemented fully in 15 years and if provisions of National
Consultative Report are got implemented early, 12 crore senior citizens will
get benefits. I have tried during last 5-6 years to create Elder-friendly
atmosphere in most of the Central Ministries concerned with implementation of
National Policy, 99; brought to the notice of Ministers & Secretaries by
representations & RTI the provisions on which action is required to be
taken by them and created sense of responsibility for early implementation. Kindly,
see my Blog: http://mvrup.blogspot.com IbIn, the enthusiastic Organization with
the help of Think Tank and others can give final stroke and get them
implemented quickly. Senior Citizens will be obliged, if we all can get the
following facilities quickly by using good offices of your Organization and
members of Think Tank with Planning Commission & concerned Ministries:-
i)
As per para
96 of NPOP, 99, an Autonomous Registered National Association of Older
Persons(NAOP) was to be formed by Nodal Ministry to mobilize senior citizens, particulate their
interests, promote & undertake programmes and activities for their
wellbeing and to advise the Government on all matters relating to Senior
Citizens. Nodal Ministry is depriving 12 crore Elders of the Country of their
Human Right to represent and negotiate. We suggested to give at least SCOVA
type of Machinery, as given to pensioners by Ministry of Pension with
representatives from each concerned Central & State/UT ministries of the
level of Joint Secretary with representatives of senior citizens from existing
registered associations for quarterly discussion & negotiation but this is
also not being done. Even statutory Central, State councils and District Committees of
Senior Citizens by District Magistrates
and Volunteers Committees by each Police Station laid down in
Maintenance Act, 2007 are not given, resulting in non-implementation of various
provisions of Policies declared by the Government and grass roots level senior
citizens not knowing any thing about existence of any policies nor about their
Status of being Senior Citizen and their Rights! NCOP constituted in 1999 does
not have representatives from grassroots level associations and is almost
defunct with 8 meetings in 15 years, the last on 2-11-11!! Inter-Ministerial
Committees are also not held and last meeting was held on 7-2-08!! In view of
such a position, formation of Negotiating Machinery is the need of the hour. I
shall forward our representation dt 15-5-14 to Nodal Secretary, which may give
details on the subject.
ii)
In federal
democracy, it is difficult for Nodal Ministry to force Central/State-UT ministries
to implement their portion of declared policies in time bound period. Every
year for last several years, we observe All India Protest Day on 16 th August
and bring out non-implementation to the notice of President and Prime Minister,
who just forward to concerned ministries and do not take any action to get the
declared provisions implemented by giving reasonable target to implement! We
request your Organization to get a legally/centrally based Authority to get
implementation in time bound period. I shall forward our last representation dt
22-8-13 to President and others to get details of our requirement.
iii)
Ministry of Social
Justice is a Nodal Ministry for Elders but
overall
management and monitoring etc. of the sectoral programmes in respect of Senior
Citizens is the responsibility of the concerned Central Ministries & their
corresponding departments under State Governments and Union territory
Administrations as per Allocation of Business Rules (AOB) and
as per DOPT`s directive in their Memorandum no. 1/6/2011-IR dt 15-4-13, each
Ministry and each Public Authority have to disclose suo motu under Sec 4 of RTI
Act, 2005 in their Web Site all schemes and development programmes with Action
Plans etc, which they are required to implement directly or through others as
per their Allocation of Business Rules. Inspite
of this, other Ministries are not
prepared to issue any instructions to their counterpart ministries/departments
in States/UTs and get them implemented by regular chasing, as brought out in
detail in Annexure A of our representation dt 15-5-14 to Nodal Secretary mentioned in i) above. We request
your Organization to use your good offices to make this clear to all Central
Ministries.
iv)
As regards
Health Care of Elders, NPHCE is very beneficial, if implemented promptly.
Though started in 2010, only 65 Geriatric OPD/Ward; 28 Physiotherapy daily
clinics & 29 bi-weekly clinics and 15 weekly geriatric clinics have been
provided in the entire Country so far. Indoor services have been established in
6 out of 8 Regional Geriatric Centres (RGCs) and RGCs are still in the process
of procurement of drugs & consumables, appointment of contractual man
power, training of doctors/staff, initiation of MD course in geriatric
etc.(Z-15012/2013-NCD dt 23-10-13). This is poor progress inspite of sufficient
funds provided by Health Ministry. Prompt action is essential.
v)
Similarly,
more attention is required on expeditious provision of Day Care Centres etc (16
schemes under Integrated Programme for Older Persons-IPOP, 2008, where 90%
recurring and non-recurring expenditure is borne by Nodal Ministry).Inspite of
funds provided by Nodal Ministry, not a single Municipality/Panchayat is coming
up for providing these facilities to their citizens!! Proper strategy is
essential.
Thanking you once again for this National
Consultative Report and giving me an opportunity to contribute to this noble
cause of helping our Elders,
Yours Sincerely,
(M.V.Ruparelia)
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