Let Each Association Awake! M.V.Ruparelia.
Dr. Man Mohan Singh, our Prime Minister, while releasing his 10- Point Social Charter recently at the inaugural session of Confederation of Indian Industries Annual Summit, 2007, reminded the industrialists to realize their social responsibility of caring for less privileged sections of the Society. The Corporate Sector is already contributing a lot by themselves as well as through participating partnership with various NGOs and appears ready to help for any specific cause. Each Association of Sr Citizens can take up one important local issue/problem/topic, collaborate with local Bank/Businessman/Municipality etc and do something concrete for the Society in addition to present activities of chit-chatting, listening lectures, arranging health camps, celebrating birthdays etc.
Each Association can also meet the local Associations of Doctors, Chemists and make them persuade their elite members to adopt on long term basis some needy deserving Sr Citizens for free check-ups including pathological investigations and medicines and some concessions for all Sr Citizens as a mark of respect. They can also meet other big businessmen in Malls, Big Bazaars, Big Shops to get needy deserving Sr Citizens (even though not below poverty line but having limited resources) adopted on long term basis for free or concessional rate monthly requirement of groceries. Big industrialists/Trusts/Municipality etc can be approached for providing Day Care Centres, Vrudhashram, Convalescent Home, and Holiday Home etc in your locality with active partnership in management.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Expectations of Senior Citizens.
Expectations Of Senior Citizens:
M.V.Ruparelia.
United Nations have defined a Country as ``Ageing``, when the proportion of people over 60 years goes to 7%. India has exceeded this proportion with number becoming more than 8 crores. Last Century’s biggest achievement is Longevity but due to industrialization, urbanization & westernization of our Society, the Joint Family, which was the natural Support System for Elders, has become almost non-existent. Elderly Population in our Country is the second largest in the World. 75% live in rural areas, 74% are illiterate, 50% are women, out of which 55% are widows, and 66% are in vulnerable situation without having food, clothing & shelter. There are 225 cities with over 1 lakh population. In last 10 years, growth in elderly population is increasing at more than double the rate of increase in general population due to improved health-care systems, low mortality & low fertility factors due to adoption of Family Planning.
The fact that there would be more & more elders in future with the above types requires a serious thought by Government and all segments of Society. If proper attention is not paid now to such a large number of experienced elders, their position & problems, the Society will face a serious insurmountable problem!
The darker scenario is that Senior Citizens are treated as unproductive, there is not much respectful recognition in the Society & inspite of Govt Orders, even the minor benefits like separate ques at Post Offices, Hospitals etc are not yet implemented by many departments/units & where implemented, are resented by younger generation by shouting, not vacating seats reserved in buses etc etc. There is abuse of elders. Many below poverty line are not looked after by children, relatives, society, Governments. More than 30% readers of Newspapers & viewers of T.V. are Senior Citizens, but no separate page/supplementary or slot is given for them by Media. They are neither given proper consideration by any Political Party (Legislative), nor by Government (Executive), nor by Courts (Judiciary) nor by Powerful Fourth Estate-the Media.
Government had got prepared by Master Minds the most comprehensive document and declared it as National Policy On Older Persons,1999(NPOP) but little action is taken by nodal Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment for its implementation in last 9 years, as would be seen from the following.
The expectation of Senior Citizens from Government is the expeditious & sincere implementation of this all-covering Policy.
i) Para 24: Monthly Pension to Senior Citizens below poverty line was to be revised periodically to beat the inflation. This has not been done, except once and that too is not followed by all State Govts. This should be done every 6 months.
ii) Para 28: Cost of medical treatment & medicines has not been got reduced. Appeal can be made to Associations/Federations of Manufacturers of Medicines, Chemists, and Doctors etc. No concession/rebate is given to children keeping their parents with them.
iii) Para 30: No sincere efforts are made to introduce pre-retirement counseling.
iv) Para 31: Age related discriminations in matters of entitlement to credit; marketing & other facilities are not removed nor reduced. On the contrary, it is allowed to be increased. Insurance companies (including medi-claim) refuse to take proposals, increase premiums and reduce commission to agents for such proposals!
v) Para 34: 36: Heavily subsidized health services are not yet provided by all State Government/Municipal Hospitals except one or two states like Maharashtra. Efforts should be made to peruse States & Municipalities.
vi) Para 37: 38: Private Trusts, Charitable Institutes & Private Hospitals given subsidy and/or land at cheaper rates do not provide free/subsidized health care facilities.
vii) Para 39: Separate ques to avoid long waits & visits to different counters are not provided in most of the places like Hospitals/Dispensaries, Post Offices, Banks, Payment Counters for Public Utility Services etc. Even copies of instructions issued are not available with most the offices! Such instructions need reiteration & monitoring.
vii) Para 40: Medical Personnel are not given any training & orientation in health care of elderly, as envisaged! Even educated Doctors do not behave properly & with respect to elderly!
viii) Para 45: Health Education Programme, if at all introduced, has not reached to elders through mass media & communication channels.
ix) Para 48: 10% of houses & house sites are not given to Senior Citizens anywhere so far.
x) Para 49: 50: Elder friendly colonies & Group Housing with multi purpose Centres and common facilities for meals, laundry, rest rooms, security, medical are not provided.
xi) Para 55: Education, training & information needs of Senior Citizens relevant to their lives do not appear to have been disseminated using mass media etc. Training for carrier development & creative use of leisure, art, culture, social heritage, community work & social welfare activities is not given to Senior Citizens.
xii) Para 58: Individuals of all ages, families & communities have not been provided with any information about age process and managing various roles and responsibilities & relationships at different stages of life cycles. For such ongoing education, some magazine should be published by Government.
xiii) Para 60: 61: Old age houses by private parties are not given proper subsidies nor their staff is given any training to treat inhabitants well.
xiv) Para 62: No encouragement comes from any Government source for forming Associations of Senior Citizens. No accommodation, no recognition, no representation!! Maharashtra Government has recently issued a directive to give one room to Associations of Senior Citizens on Sunday & holidays. Central Government can issue such directive to all States for accommodation, recognition, subsidy, day care centers etc.
xv) Para 63: Existence of Welfare Fund for Senior Citizens is not felt!
xvi) Para 67: Although Police Department has started providing Help Line etc, security of Senior Citizens is still a major problem.
xvii) Para 68: Still some States do not issue Identity Cards. No concessions are given in entertainment fees of cinema/drama/cultural houses, Tourist hotels, Travel & Tour organizations. Number of seats in Public Transport is very much less and that too are not vacated by others. No separate coach like handicaps or ladies is given to Senior Citizens in Suburban Trains. Crossing by Senior Citizens at zebra crossings is not at all ensured by Traffic Police or other members of public & drivers!
xviii) Para 69: No machinery is laid down to attend to grievances of Senior Citizens or ensuring prompt replies to their representations.
xix) Para 70: Either sufficient action is not taken by Government to highlight the issues of Senior Citizens on 1st October every year and if taken is not visible nor any media takes note of it.
xx) Para 71: Facilities, concessions etc are required to be updated periodically and given to associations of Senior Citizens. No association is given such information.
xxi) Para 79: No efforts are made to highlight the Role of Senior Citizens through special programmes and mass media. Annual recognition awards on par with other Awards should be provided.
xxii) Para 85: Services of Senior Citizens for Resource Centers, Research Centers etc should be utilized and establishment of such centers highlighted through mass media.
xxiii) Para 88: Media has completely boycotted the NPOP,99 from the beginning!! Government must use its good offices to make Media realize their important role of highlighting the changing situation of Senior Citizens and identify issues and areas of action. Without Medias` cooperation, neither Government nor Senior Citizens can achieve much!
xxiv) Para 93:94: Five Year Plans and Annual Action Plans are not made known to the Senior Citizens. Annual reports of every Ministry is also not published in media or distributed to associations of Senior Citizens. Discussions in National Convention every 3 years are also not made known to Senior Citizens.
xxv) Para 96: No action is taken to form National association of Older Persons(NAOP) even after 8 years! Without such a National Associations of Senior Citizens, Government can not achieve anything!!
Expectations of Senior Citizens from other segments of the Society:
Media:
As a Torch Bearer for the entire Society, it is necessary for the media to foresee the social situation and highlight to all segments of the Society, the necessity of thinking & taking appropriate & adequate steps before the situation worsens & becomes insurmountable. It is only the Media, which can highlight the situation which is likely to be created in near future due to increasing number of elders and change the present indifferent attitude of Society & Government towards the problems & needs of Elders.
One of the major problems of Elders is how to pass time usefully. They are the Think-Tank of the Society. They have done a lot for Society during their prime time. Media has to give them space to express. After having regular routine for 30-40 years, there is a vacuum in Elders` life. Few are able to do useful work of their choice. Rest remains in the house idling & just passing/killing time. Media can create various avenues for them to express & feel useful. Each Newspaper can give one/half page every day and T.V. Channels can give half hour slot daily/2-3 days in a week exclusively for Elders highlighting needs, problems, health-care, safety, mobility, second careers etc. Such a space in Media will create lot of material for Elders and the Society. Thinkers, Experts, Sociologist also will write & guide Elders in such space. Senior Citizens writing or acting in T.V. may be given recognition & monetary rewards, which will enthuse them & bring them out of routine & hopelessness, if any in some. Media may also appoint some elders as ``Correspondents`` or`` Representatives`` for some areas for bringing material about activities of Elders & their Associations and pay them honorarium. This will have not only financial support but also a feeling of usefulness.
Individuals & Groups/Organizations:
All must look after their parents well and ignoring/ maltreatment etc should be a social stigma as well as punishable offence. Where children do not exist or are not able to look after due to very bad financial position, other individuals, groups, organizations can serve the needy Senior Citizens as per few examples given below:-
a) Let Young Couples adopt “God Parent.”
Many young couples go for service and there is nobody to look after their children. Adoption of Parent or a single Elder of their choice will go a long way to make such Elders happy and will be beneficial to the couple also in many respects including good care and `sanskar`of their children.
b) Let each Doctor adopt a “God Parent.”
Most of the Medical Associations are arranging Check-ups and Lectures for Senior Citizens, keeping in view extreme need of looking after the deteriorating health of elders. They can advise all their Members to adopt 1 elderly couple or 1 or 2 single elders for free check-ups & advice, as and when necessary/ once a month and if possible, to give medicines, nourishments, dietary supplements etc, as necessary free. Let each Specialist/ Consultant keep 2 hours in a week for free examination of Senior Citizens. Each Hospital, especially Eye Hospitals, Investigating Laboratories including Pathology may also keep 2-3 hours in a week for free treatment of Senior Citizens.
c) Let Good Educational Institute adopt one Association of Senior Citizens.
Passing time usefully & peacefully is a major need of Senior Citizens. Most of their Associations do not have accommodation to meet regularly. They hardly meet 2-3 times in a year. Royal College, Mira Road has shown the way by giving spacious accommodation for daily meeting for 3 hours from 16 to 19 hrs and free use of their Library & Indoor Games.30-40 Senior Citizens gather every day and exchange views on useful topics, do social service to all citizens of their areas and do almost all activities on par with Activity Centers of Dignity Foundation & Harmony, Mumbai without any fees. Let Good Institutes open their doors and give as many facilities as possible for meeting together and passing time usefully in their crucial phase of life. When they are enabled to come together, they, being Think-Tank, will be useful to the Institute & the Society with their varied experience in various fields. Let Trusts, Builders, Government Departments, Public Sector Undertakings, Rotary & Lion’s Clubs, Gymkhanas etc also come up and open Activity Centers, Separate Colonies, Convalescent Homes, Holiday Homes, and Nana-Nani Parks etc for their Elders in various Areas. Let all States follow Maharashtra and offer one room in Municipal Schools on Sundays & Holidays to nearby Associations of Senior Citizens.
d) Let Corporate World adopt needy Senior Citizens of an Area and help other Senior Citizens through P.P.P.
There are many Senior Citizens, who are facing financial problems and some are not able to meet two ends meet. Big Corporate Houses can adopt an area of their choice after surveying the number & need of such Senior Citizens. Such elders can be given their monthly requirements of food, clothes and very essential necessities. Their services can be utilized in some way, as possible. They should also look after their retired employees and provide them proper facilities, as a welfare measure. They should help other Senior Citizens by adopting P.P.P. as their policy.
e) Let Shopping Malls etc adopt 5-10Needy Elders.
Shopping Malls, Big Bazaars, Big Merchant Firms, Trusts etc can adopt 5-10 Elders for giving groceries & other essential requirements, clothing, medicines etc. Let each limb of Society come up to look after their needy elders.
M.V.Ruparelia.
United Nations have defined a Country as ``Ageing``, when the proportion of people over 60 years goes to 7%. India has exceeded this proportion with number becoming more than 8 crores. Last Century’s biggest achievement is Longevity but due to industrialization, urbanization & westernization of our Society, the Joint Family, which was the natural Support System for Elders, has become almost non-existent. Elderly Population in our Country is the second largest in the World. 75% live in rural areas, 74% are illiterate, 50% are women, out of which 55% are widows, and 66% are in vulnerable situation without having food, clothing & shelter. There are 225 cities with over 1 lakh population. In last 10 years, growth in elderly population is increasing at more than double the rate of increase in general population due to improved health-care systems, low mortality & low fertility factors due to adoption of Family Planning.
The fact that there would be more & more elders in future with the above types requires a serious thought by Government and all segments of Society. If proper attention is not paid now to such a large number of experienced elders, their position & problems, the Society will face a serious insurmountable problem!
The darker scenario is that Senior Citizens are treated as unproductive, there is not much respectful recognition in the Society & inspite of Govt Orders, even the minor benefits like separate ques at Post Offices, Hospitals etc are not yet implemented by many departments/units & where implemented, are resented by younger generation by shouting, not vacating seats reserved in buses etc etc. There is abuse of elders. Many below poverty line are not looked after by children, relatives, society, Governments. More than 30% readers of Newspapers & viewers of T.V. are Senior Citizens, but no separate page/supplementary or slot is given for them by Media. They are neither given proper consideration by any Political Party (Legislative), nor by Government (Executive), nor by Courts (Judiciary) nor by Powerful Fourth Estate-the Media.
Government had got prepared by Master Minds the most comprehensive document and declared it as National Policy On Older Persons,1999(NPOP) but little action is taken by nodal Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment for its implementation in last 9 years, as would be seen from the following.
The expectation of Senior Citizens from Government is the expeditious & sincere implementation of this all-covering Policy.
i) Para 24: Monthly Pension to Senior Citizens below poverty line was to be revised periodically to beat the inflation. This has not been done, except once and that too is not followed by all State Govts. This should be done every 6 months.
ii) Para 28: Cost of medical treatment & medicines has not been got reduced. Appeal can be made to Associations/Federations of Manufacturers of Medicines, Chemists, and Doctors etc. No concession/rebate is given to children keeping their parents with them.
iii) Para 30: No sincere efforts are made to introduce pre-retirement counseling.
iv) Para 31: Age related discriminations in matters of entitlement to credit; marketing & other facilities are not removed nor reduced. On the contrary, it is allowed to be increased. Insurance companies (including medi-claim) refuse to take proposals, increase premiums and reduce commission to agents for such proposals!
v) Para 34: 36: Heavily subsidized health services are not yet provided by all State Government/Municipal Hospitals except one or two states like Maharashtra. Efforts should be made to peruse States & Municipalities.
vi) Para 37: 38: Private Trusts, Charitable Institutes & Private Hospitals given subsidy and/or land at cheaper rates do not provide free/subsidized health care facilities.
vii) Para 39: Separate ques to avoid long waits & visits to different counters are not provided in most of the places like Hospitals/Dispensaries, Post Offices, Banks, Payment Counters for Public Utility Services etc. Even copies of instructions issued are not available with most the offices! Such instructions need reiteration & monitoring.
vii) Para 40: Medical Personnel are not given any training & orientation in health care of elderly, as envisaged! Even educated Doctors do not behave properly & with respect to elderly!
viii) Para 45: Health Education Programme, if at all introduced, has not reached to elders through mass media & communication channels.
ix) Para 48: 10% of houses & house sites are not given to Senior Citizens anywhere so far.
x) Para 49: 50: Elder friendly colonies & Group Housing with multi purpose Centres and common facilities for meals, laundry, rest rooms, security, medical are not provided.
xi) Para 55: Education, training & information needs of Senior Citizens relevant to their lives do not appear to have been disseminated using mass media etc. Training for carrier development & creative use of leisure, art, culture, social heritage, community work & social welfare activities is not given to Senior Citizens.
xii) Para 58: Individuals of all ages, families & communities have not been provided with any information about age process and managing various roles and responsibilities & relationships at different stages of life cycles. For such ongoing education, some magazine should be published by Government.
xiii) Para 60: 61: Old age houses by private parties are not given proper subsidies nor their staff is given any training to treat inhabitants well.
xiv) Para 62: No encouragement comes from any Government source for forming Associations of Senior Citizens. No accommodation, no recognition, no representation!! Maharashtra Government has recently issued a directive to give one room to Associations of Senior Citizens on Sunday & holidays. Central Government can issue such directive to all States for accommodation, recognition, subsidy, day care centers etc.
xv) Para 63: Existence of Welfare Fund for Senior Citizens is not felt!
xvi) Para 67: Although Police Department has started providing Help Line etc, security of Senior Citizens is still a major problem.
xvii) Para 68: Still some States do not issue Identity Cards. No concessions are given in entertainment fees of cinema/drama/cultural houses, Tourist hotels, Travel & Tour organizations. Number of seats in Public Transport is very much less and that too are not vacated by others. No separate coach like handicaps or ladies is given to Senior Citizens in Suburban Trains. Crossing by Senior Citizens at zebra crossings is not at all ensured by Traffic Police or other members of public & drivers!
xviii) Para 69: No machinery is laid down to attend to grievances of Senior Citizens or ensuring prompt replies to their representations.
xix) Para 70: Either sufficient action is not taken by Government to highlight the issues of Senior Citizens on 1st October every year and if taken is not visible nor any media takes note of it.
xx) Para 71: Facilities, concessions etc are required to be updated periodically and given to associations of Senior Citizens. No association is given such information.
xxi) Para 79: No efforts are made to highlight the Role of Senior Citizens through special programmes and mass media. Annual recognition awards on par with other Awards should be provided.
xxii) Para 85: Services of Senior Citizens for Resource Centers, Research Centers etc should be utilized and establishment of such centers highlighted through mass media.
xxiii) Para 88: Media has completely boycotted the NPOP,99 from the beginning!! Government must use its good offices to make Media realize their important role of highlighting the changing situation of Senior Citizens and identify issues and areas of action. Without Medias` cooperation, neither Government nor Senior Citizens can achieve much!
xxiv) Para 93:94: Five Year Plans and Annual Action Plans are not made known to the Senior Citizens. Annual reports of every Ministry is also not published in media or distributed to associations of Senior Citizens. Discussions in National Convention every 3 years are also not made known to Senior Citizens.
xxv) Para 96: No action is taken to form National association of Older Persons(NAOP) even after 8 years! Without such a National Associations of Senior Citizens, Government can not achieve anything!!
Expectations of Senior Citizens from other segments of the Society:
Media:
As a Torch Bearer for the entire Society, it is necessary for the media to foresee the social situation and highlight to all segments of the Society, the necessity of thinking & taking appropriate & adequate steps before the situation worsens & becomes insurmountable. It is only the Media, which can highlight the situation which is likely to be created in near future due to increasing number of elders and change the present indifferent attitude of Society & Government towards the problems & needs of Elders.
One of the major problems of Elders is how to pass time usefully. They are the Think-Tank of the Society. They have done a lot for Society during their prime time. Media has to give them space to express. After having regular routine for 30-40 years, there is a vacuum in Elders` life. Few are able to do useful work of their choice. Rest remains in the house idling & just passing/killing time. Media can create various avenues for them to express & feel useful. Each Newspaper can give one/half page every day and T.V. Channels can give half hour slot daily/2-3 days in a week exclusively for Elders highlighting needs, problems, health-care, safety, mobility, second careers etc. Such a space in Media will create lot of material for Elders and the Society. Thinkers, Experts, Sociologist also will write & guide Elders in such space. Senior Citizens writing or acting in T.V. may be given recognition & monetary rewards, which will enthuse them & bring them out of routine & hopelessness, if any in some. Media may also appoint some elders as ``Correspondents`` or`` Representatives`` for some areas for bringing material about activities of Elders & their Associations and pay them honorarium. This will have not only financial support but also a feeling of usefulness.
Individuals & Groups/Organizations:
All must look after their parents well and ignoring/ maltreatment etc should be a social stigma as well as punishable offence. Where children do not exist or are not able to look after due to very bad financial position, other individuals, groups, organizations can serve the needy Senior Citizens as per few examples given below:-
a) Let Young Couples adopt “God Parent.”
Many young couples go for service and there is nobody to look after their children. Adoption of Parent or a single Elder of their choice will go a long way to make such Elders happy and will be beneficial to the couple also in many respects including good care and `sanskar`of their children.
b) Let each Doctor adopt a “God Parent.”
Most of the Medical Associations are arranging Check-ups and Lectures for Senior Citizens, keeping in view extreme need of looking after the deteriorating health of elders. They can advise all their Members to adopt 1 elderly couple or 1 or 2 single elders for free check-ups & advice, as and when necessary/ once a month and if possible, to give medicines, nourishments, dietary supplements etc, as necessary free. Let each Specialist/ Consultant keep 2 hours in a week for free examination of Senior Citizens. Each Hospital, especially Eye Hospitals, Investigating Laboratories including Pathology may also keep 2-3 hours in a week for free treatment of Senior Citizens.
c) Let Good Educational Institute adopt one Association of Senior Citizens.
Passing time usefully & peacefully is a major need of Senior Citizens. Most of their Associations do not have accommodation to meet regularly. They hardly meet 2-3 times in a year. Royal College, Mira Road has shown the way by giving spacious accommodation for daily meeting for 3 hours from 16 to 19 hrs and free use of their Library & Indoor Games.30-40 Senior Citizens gather every day and exchange views on useful topics, do social service to all citizens of their areas and do almost all activities on par with Activity Centers of Dignity Foundation & Harmony, Mumbai without any fees. Let Good Institutes open their doors and give as many facilities as possible for meeting together and passing time usefully in their crucial phase of life. When they are enabled to come together, they, being Think-Tank, will be useful to the Institute & the Society with their varied experience in various fields. Let Trusts, Builders, Government Departments, Public Sector Undertakings, Rotary & Lion’s Clubs, Gymkhanas etc also come up and open Activity Centers, Separate Colonies, Convalescent Homes, Holiday Homes, and Nana-Nani Parks etc for their Elders in various Areas. Let all States follow Maharashtra and offer one room in Municipal Schools on Sundays & Holidays to nearby Associations of Senior Citizens.
d) Let Corporate World adopt needy Senior Citizens of an Area and help other Senior Citizens through P.P.P.
There are many Senior Citizens, who are facing financial problems and some are not able to meet two ends meet. Big Corporate Houses can adopt an area of their choice after surveying the number & need of such Senior Citizens. Such elders can be given their monthly requirements of food, clothes and very essential necessities. Their services can be utilized in some way, as possible. They should also look after their retired employees and provide them proper facilities, as a welfare measure. They should help other Senior Citizens by adopting P.P.P. as their policy.
e) Let Shopping Malls etc adopt 5-10Needy Elders.
Shopping Malls, Big Bazaars, Big Merchant Firms, Trusts etc can adopt 5-10 Elders for giving groceries & other essential requirements, clothing, medicines etc. Let each limb of Society come up to look after their needy elders.
Letter to Prime Minister for simplifying procedure for Payment of Pension to Senior Citizens below Poverty Line.
To Date: 13-10-09.
Dr. Man Mohan Singhji,
Hon. Prime Minister of India,
South Block, New Delhi-101101.
Respected Sir,
Sub: Payment of Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension (IGNOAPS) launched on 19-11-07.
You were kind enough to launch the above scheme for benefit of all Senior Citizens of 65 years and above living below poverty line as a Social Security Scheme and Support System. The Ministry of Rural Development issued instructions to States to grant this megre Pension to those citizens, who are 65 and above and belong to a household below the poverty line, which is decided as per their guidelines for BPL Census, 2002. In these guidelines, 13 socio-economic parameters were prescribed to identify relative position of each family in rural area by giving variable scores from village to village depending upon local conditions for targeting people under Ministry`s Rural BPL Programmes. No such guidelines are issued by Ministry of Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation for classifying an urban citizen as BPL. 13 socio-economic parameters may be useful to Ministry Of Rural Development for launching a particular scheme in a particular village or for a particular family but in no way can help in deciding the eligibility to pay megre monthly Pension to Senior Citizens of 65 & above having megre income or staying hand to mouth in their last spell of life. How far such house to house survey applying 13 complicated parameters having 4 different scoring can be useful to decide eligibility for monthly Pension to Senior Citizens? There is no necessity of targeting Senior Citizens neither for paying IGNOAPS nor to fix their interse eligibility. More over, such guidelines go on changing for every Five Year Plan Period. We may give one example to consider the impracticality of such guidelines. In the very well developed suburb of Mira Road of Mumbai, there are more than 4 lakhs of citizens having more than 80 thousand Senior Citizens, out of which 50 thousand are above 65 and more than 20 thousand are living below poverty line and pass their last spell of life hand to mouth. The number of all BPL Families, including citizens above 65 for this Area are only 17-seventeen, as advised by Municipal Corporation vide their letter no. ja.kra.manapa/sujayo/7/2009-10
dt 14-8-09. It would be clear from this that eligible Senior Citizens are not classified as belonging to BPL Families and not paid megre Pension due to complicated procedures causing corruption at various levels. Considering the poverty lines of each State, a financial income limit per month or per annum should be fixed for paying this megre Pension to Senior Citizens irrespective of their family income, as Senior Citizens staying in joint families and having no income or megre income are not properly looked after by children and not paid any pocket money etc. State of Maharashtra has fixed Rs. 21000 p.a. for their Schemes.
You will be surprised to know that there is no definition of Below Poverty Individual or Family either with Ministry of Rural Development or Planning Commission. The Planning Commission estimates the number and percentage of poor at National & State levels on the basis of rough and large sample survey data on house hold consumer expenditure at All-India figure of Rs 356.30 in Rural and Rs 538.60 in Urban Areas
(Press Information Bureau Estimates notified on 21-3-07).Such rough estimation can be used for providing Budget etc but not for deciding eligibility for payment of megre Pension to Senior Citizens of 65 and above.
In view of the above position and there being 3 Ministries of Rural Development, Housing and Planning Commission, it is requested that this simple work of payment to Senior Citizens may be assigned to the one concerned Ministry by fixing definition of Poverty Line (Maharashtra has fixed Rs.21000 p.a. for their Schemes) and not insisting on the unwarranted condition of belonging to BPL Family. Kindly get the financial income limit etc fixed to avoid corruption at various levels and procedure laid down for easy and early payment of this megre Pension to all eligible Senior Citizens.
Dr. Man Mohan Singhji,
Hon. Prime Minister of India,
South Block, New Delhi-101101.
Respected Sir,
Sub: Payment of Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension (IGNOAPS) launched on 19-11-07.
You were kind enough to launch the above scheme for benefit of all Senior Citizens of 65 years and above living below poverty line as a Social Security Scheme and Support System. The Ministry of Rural Development issued instructions to States to grant this megre Pension to those citizens, who are 65 and above and belong to a household below the poverty line, which is decided as per their guidelines for BPL Census, 2002. In these guidelines, 13 socio-economic parameters were prescribed to identify relative position of each family in rural area by giving variable scores from village to village depending upon local conditions for targeting people under Ministry`s Rural BPL Programmes. No such guidelines are issued by Ministry of Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation for classifying an urban citizen as BPL. 13 socio-economic parameters may be useful to Ministry Of Rural Development for launching a particular scheme in a particular village or for a particular family but in no way can help in deciding the eligibility to pay megre monthly Pension to Senior Citizens of 65 & above having megre income or staying hand to mouth in their last spell of life. How far such house to house survey applying 13 complicated parameters having 4 different scoring can be useful to decide eligibility for monthly Pension to Senior Citizens? There is no necessity of targeting Senior Citizens neither for paying IGNOAPS nor to fix their interse eligibility. More over, such guidelines go on changing for every Five Year Plan Period. We may give one example to consider the impracticality of such guidelines. In the very well developed suburb of Mira Road of Mumbai, there are more than 4 lakhs of citizens having more than 80 thousand Senior Citizens, out of which 50 thousand are above 65 and more than 20 thousand are living below poverty line and pass their last spell of life hand to mouth. The number of all BPL Families, including citizens above 65 for this Area are only 17-seventeen, as advised by Municipal Corporation vide their letter no. ja.kra.manapa/sujayo/7/2009-10
dt 14-8-09. It would be clear from this that eligible Senior Citizens are not classified as belonging to BPL Families and not paid megre Pension due to complicated procedures causing corruption at various levels. Considering the poverty lines of each State, a financial income limit per month or per annum should be fixed for paying this megre Pension to Senior Citizens irrespective of their family income, as Senior Citizens staying in joint families and having no income or megre income are not properly looked after by children and not paid any pocket money etc. State of Maharashtra has fixed Rs. 21000 p.a. for their Schemes.
You will be surprised to know that there is no definition of Below Poverty Individual or Family either with Ministry of Rural Development or Planning Commission. The Planning Commission estimates the number and percentage of poor at National & State levels on the basis of rough and large sample survey data on house hold consumer expenditure at All-India figure of Rs 356.30 in Rural and Rs 538.60 in Urban Areas
(Press Information Bureau Estimates notified on 21-3-07).Such rough estimation can be used for providing Budget etc but not for deciding eligibility for payment of megre Pension to Senior Citizens of 65 and above.
In view of the above position and there being 3 Ministries of Rural Development, Housing and Planning Commission, it is requested that this simple work of payment to Senior Citizens may be assigned to the one concerned Ministry by fixing definition of Poverty Line (Maharashtra has fixed Rs.21000 p.a. for their Schemes) and not insisting on the unwarranted condition of belonging to BPL Family. Kindly get the financial income limit etc fixed to avoid corruption at various levels and procedure laid down for easy and early payment of this megre Pension to all eligible Senior Citizens.
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Why are We as We are?
Why are we, as we are? M.V.Ruparelia.
This World is full of varieties, not only of living beings, trees, flowers, flora etc but also of all aspects including thoughts, principles, laws etc. Just think why you are as you are! Some will say, we are borne as per our deeds in previous births and are governed by planetary position at the time of our birth. Each planet in our horoscope play its role in our life from time to time. We are helpless and controlled by our destiny and so on! Some will say we are borne and brought up in different atmosphere and circumstances and governed by childhood experiences and habits. Children of the same parents brought up in the same place and family are not the same due to different genes at the time of conception and different experiences in the same place and family during their childhood and growing periods. Due to varying beliefs in respect of origin and continuance of life, all-acceptable analysis as to why we are as we are is difficult.
Let us see according to some scientific concepts as to why we are as we are. It is observed that people in different countries, different societies, different groups, different races are different. This indicates that social atmosphere, social customs etc make a difference. Even in same country or society, people are found different. This indicates that barring some conditioning of the atmosphere, customs etc of that country/society, each individual, having been borne and brought up in different atmosphere, surroundings of family, friends and others is unique! No two individuals, even borne to same parents and even two or more borne together are equal in all respects. Each individual has his own experiences different from others. His complete personality is based on his childhood and subsequent experiences. These experiences are influenced to certain extent by social conditionings and beliefs of that country/society. Some such beliefs in some societies are like: Some believe that passing of cat before them is a bad omen and one should not proceed further! Women should do this and not that! Innumerable beliefs exist in different communities and countries! In many societies, hypocrisy is practiced at all levels! Parents, teachers, adults speak one thing and do another, expecting children to do what they tell them and not what they do! Such beliefs and behavior are passed on from generation to generation and imbibed from childhood. Most of us get conditioned to such beliefs and behaviors and unconsciously react according to such conditionings in our every day behavior with others. Even in same family and society, there are different beliefs/opinions at different times! Nothing holds more power over our body and mind than such conditionings/experiences of the past. Life is nothing but a series of experiences.
According to Dr Deepak Chopra, beliefs, thoughts, emotions create the chemical reactions that uphold life in every cell of our body. All cells contain unique forms of intelligence. There are trillions of cells in our body. Cells of different parts of body get destroyed and recreated as per their different life spans from time to time. In a year, 98% of our cells get exchanged for new ones. Our perception is based on intelligence of these trillions of cells. Due to the existence of these trillions of cells having different intelligence based on their experience from time to time, every one perceives the same things/matters differently and same person perceives same thing/matter differently at different time!! Thus, each one of us is Unique in the entire World!
When all are different and react helplessly, there is lot of misunderstanding amongst all for each other and this creates conflicts and unhappiness! Each one feels he is right, one up and others are wrong! All of us have to understand and accept as to why we are as we are and respect the uniqueness of all which is due to different upbringing and experiences (and different planetary position!) to avoid conflicts and unhappiness all-around. If others may or may not accept this but if you accept this, it shall bring you peace and happiness!
This World is full of varieties, not only of living beings, trees, flowers, flora etc but also of all aspects including thoughts, principles, laws etc. Just think why you are as you are! Some will say, we are borne as per our deeds in previous births and are governed by planetary position at the time of our birth. Each planet in our horoscope play its role in our life from time to time. We are helpless and controlled by our destiny and so on! Some will say we are borne and brought up in different atmosphere and circumstances and governed by childhood experiences and habits. Children of the same parents brought up in the same place and family are not the same due to different genes at the time of conception and different experiences in the same place and family during their childhood and growing periods. Due to varying beliefs in respect of origin and continuance of life, all-acceptable analysis as to why we are as we are is difficult.
Let us see according to some scientific concepts as to why we are as we are. It is observed that people in different countries, different societies, different groups, different races are different. This indicates that social atmosphere, social customs etc make a difference. Even in same country or society, people are found different. This indicates that barring some conditioning of the atmosphere, customs etc of that country/society, each individual, having been borne and brought up in different atmosphere, surroundings of family, friends and others is unique! No two individuals, even borne to same parents and even two or more borne together are equal in all respects. Each individual has his own experiences different from others. His complete personality is based on his childhood and subsequent experiences. These experiences are influenced to certain extent by social conditionings and beliefs of that country/society. Some such beliefs in some societies are like: Some believe that passing of cat before them is a bad omen and one should not proceed further! Women should do this and not that! Innumerable beliefs exist in different communities and countries! In many societies, hypocrisy is practiced at all levels! Parents, teachers, adults speak one thing and do another, expecting children to do what they tell them and not what they do! Such beliefs and behavior are passed on from generation to generation and imbibed from childhood. Most of us get conditioned to such beliefs and behaviors and unconsciously react according to such conditionings in our every day behavior with others. Even in same family and society, there are different beliefs/opinions at different times! Nothing holds more power over our body and mind than such conditionings/experiences of the past. Life is nothing but a series of experiences.
According to Dr Deepak Chopra, beliefs, thoughts, emotions create the chemical reactions that uphold life in every cell of our body. All cells contain unique forms of intelligence. There are trillions of cells in our body. Cells of different parts of body get destroyed and recreated as per their different life spans from time to time. In a year, 98% of our cells get exchanged for new ones. Our perception is based on intelligence of these trillions of cells. Due to the existence of these trillions of cells having different intelligence based on their experience from time to time, every one perceives the same things/matters differently and same person perceives same thing/matter differently at different time!! Thus, each one of us is Unique in the entire World!
When all are different and react helplessly, there is lot of misunderstanding amongst all for each other and this creates conflicts and unhappiness! Each one feels he is right, one up and others are wrong! All of us have to understand and accept as to why we are as we are and respect the uniqueness of all which is due to different upbringing and experiences (and different planetary position!) to avoid conflicts and unhappiness all-around. If others may or may not accept this but if you accept this, it shall bring you peace and happiness!
Loneliness and Senior Citizens.
Loneliness: M.V.Ruparelia.
Loneliness:
``We act as though comfort and luxury were chief requirements of life, when all that we need to make us happy is something to be enthusiastic about.``
Charles Kingsley.
Due to advent of Western philosophy, nuclear family system, retirement, death of spouse, going away of children due to service, social conditioning & customs, financial restraints, health condition & lack of proper affordable medical facilities, many Senior Citizens in rural & urban areas face loneliness and abuse. Many educated & well-off Senior Citizens also face loneliness due to inertia, `empty nest syndrome`, pre-conceived perception & closed outlook etc! A person retires from service or reaches a certain age and he feels that he has done a lot and now deserves rest! He rests and does not remain active, resulting in deteriorating health, psychosomatic diseases & connected problems! He develops inertia; he does not participate in any functions, does not go to any Associations, and does not want to learn anything new! He feels, he need not waste his energy, which requires to be preserved at this age! He forgets that we have unlimited energy and even in active life, we have used a very small % of energy. In old age also, we have unlimited energy and the Principle is ``USE IT OR LOOSE IT.`` Such self isolation increases depression, timidity, anxiety, longing for death, confusion, self-neglect, vague health problems, mounting resentment, unusual fatigue, withholding of food or medicines, hostility, unresponsiveness etc.This is Self Abuse also! A new study reveals that loneliness & isolation doubles the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. To counter such risks, Senior Citizens should participate in social activities, increase the number of their close friends in whom they can confine their feelings, fears, thoughts in their own interest and should have a Support Group.
Earlier, in joint family system, elders were accommodated, looked after and there were less cases of isolation & loneliness. Due to individualism, human rights, women lib etc, this joint family system has weakened to a considerable extant. No efforts are made by Govt/ Media to strengthen the Joint Family System, as envisaged in NPOP,99. The recent passing of ``Parents Welfare & Maintenance Act``lays down the emphasis on responsibility of children for looking after their parents. Though, many parents may not go to Tribunals against their children due to our culture, the mere existence of this Act and provision of suo-motto action shall deter the children from driving away their parents from home and instead of paying Monthly Allowance; many may like to keep parents with them, as that may be cheaper for middle and lower income group. The Act shall reinforce the importance & role of the family to some extant, which has shattered in recent times due to adverse influence of Western Culture.
Government can take the following practical & effective steps to reduce the loneliness related problems of Senior Citizens:-
i) Get created literature and force Media by legislating, if necessary to encourage Joint Family System and encourage individuals to participate in social activities etc to reduce loneliness to some extent; give tax concession & other incentives to those keeping & looking after their parents & other senior relatives.
ii) Establish well equipped Day Care Activity Centres in villages as well as cities-one for about 10 thousand Senior Citizens, manned by properly trained welfare personnel. If possible, capable Senior Citizens should be trained and appointed on honorarium basis for such work, which shall be cheaper to the Govt and beneficial to Senior Citizens. Provide Holiday Homes, Convalescent Homes, Nana-Nani Parks etc.
iii) Establish a separate Department/ Ministry at Central & State level for planning the action for looking after various requirements of Senior Citizens and this Department should be manned by Senior Citizens on honorarium basis. This will create second career opportunities and utilization of Think-tank appropriately. This Department may be allotted the following duties:-
a) Ensure implementation of all Policies, Acts etc of Govts for Senior Citizens.
b) Administer all Day Care Activity Centres and ensure all types of help to Senior Citizens.
c) Obtain & maintain full details of all Senior Citizens through DCACentres and make them responsible for welfare of all Senior Citizens in their areas.
iv) Raise the pension for BPL as per GDP and raise the present limit of Rs 18000 to annual GDP level, as that amount is due to each citizen! Notify income limit of Middle Class also and give them free or concessional facilities in various matters.
v) Make compulsory to appoint Senior Citizens on various Consultative Committees, if possible on honorarium basis or as a social service to keep them engaged and give benefit to the Society of their reach experience.
vi) Raise the age of retirement, keeping in view long healthy life span. With the overall development of economy and expansion of employment opportunities and keeping the fact that population of Senior Citizens is increasing at higher rate than new born, a legislation can be brought to engage Senior Citizens for certain jobs or a certain % can be fixed for engagement of Senior Citizens in Government, Public & Private Sectors, may be on honorarium basis with relaxed hours. Senior Citizens are also entitled to `Right to Work` as laid down in our Constitution.
vii) Make it mandatory for Public Sector, Corporate & other major Employers to provide Welfare Centres- Activity Centres for their retired employees to pass time; call the retired employees for all their official functions/celebrations and have a special function at least once on 1st October every year on Elders` Day. Provide facilities for picnics, some holiday homes etc.
viii) Encourage or make compulsory for all schools/colleges to encourage students to respect and help Senior Citizens, as & when & where possible and arrange some programmes to mix with Senior Citizens. This shall go a long way to integrate two generations. All Schools/Colleges should be requested to give one room to registered Associations of Senior Citizens, if requested every day in the evenings for their activities, gathering etc. Their Halls should also be given occasionally for lectures, functions etc.
It may be noted here that by solving or reducing the problems of Loneliness, the cases of Elder Abuse can not be reduced/curbed, except curbing/reducing the Self Abuse and murder cases to some extent.
Planning of Older Years to deal with emotional issues:-
Proper training for planning the retirement should be given to each citizen at appropriate age. Once a person retires or decides to retire from earning life, he should be able to live life happily and pass time usefully with his hobbies, engaging in social service, having a good Support Group, participating in activities of Senior Citizens Associations, developing the spirit of `let go`; endurance/tolerance, Forget & Forgive; giving up ego of status of earning life and assuming the new Status of Senior Citizen.
Loneliness:
``We act as though comfort and luxury were chief requirements of life, when all that we need to make us happy is something to be enthusiastic about.``
Charles Kingsley.
Due to advent of Western philosophy, nuclear family system, retirement, death of spouse, going away of children due to service, social conditioning & customs, financial restraints, health condition & lack of proper affordable medical facilities, many Senior Citizens in rural & urban areas face loneliness and abuse. Many educated & well-off Senior Citizens also face loneliness due to inertia, `empty nest syndrome`, pre-conceived perception & closed outlook etc! A person retires from service or reaches a certain age and he feels that he has done a lot and now deserves rest! He rests and does not remain active, resulting in deteriorating health, psychosomatic diseases & connected problems! He develops inertia; he does not participate in any functions, does not go to any Associations, and does not want to learn anything new! He feels, he need not waste his energy, which requires to be preserved at this age! He forgets that we have unlimited energy and even in active life, we have used a very small % of energy. In old age also, we have unlimited energy and the Principle is ``USE IT OR LOOSE IT.`` Such self isolation increases depression, timidity, anxiety, longing for death, confusion, self-neglect, vague health problems, mounting resentment, unusual fatigue, withholding of food or medicines, hostility, unresponsiveness etc.This is Self Abuse also! A new study reveals that loneliness & isolation doubles the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. To counter such risks, Senior Citizens should participate in social activities, increase the number of their close friends in whom they can confine their feelings, fears, thoughts in their own interest and should have a Support Group.
Earlier, in joint family system, elders were accommodated, looked after and there were less cases of isolation & loneliness. Due to individualism, human rights, women lib etc, this joint family system has weakened to a considerable extant. No efforts are made by Govt/ Media to strengthen the Joint Family System, as envisaged in NPOP,99. The recent passing of ``Parents Welfare & Maintenance Act``lays down the emphasis on responsibility of children for looking after their parents. Though, many parents may not go to Tribunals against their children due to our culture, the mere existence of this Act and provision of suo-motto action shall deter the children from driving away their parents from home and instead of paying Monthly Allowance; many may like to keep parents with them, as that may be cheaper for middle and lower income group. The Act shall reinforce the importance & role of the family to some extant, which has shattered in recent times due to adverse influence of Western Culture.
Government can take the following practical & effective steps to reduce the loneliness related problems of Senior Citizens:-
i) Get created literature and force Media by legislating, if necessary to encourage Joint Family System and encourage individuals to participate in social activities etc to reduce loneliness to some extent; give tax concession & other incentives to those keeping & looking after their parents & other senior relatives.
ii) Establish well equipped Day Care Activity Centres in villages as well as cities-one for about 10 thousand Senior Citizens, manned by properly trained welfare personnel. If possible, capable Senior Citizens should be trained and appointed on honorarium basis for such work, which shall be cheaper to the Govt and beneficial to Senior Citizens. Provide Holiday Homes, Convalescent Homes, Nana-Nani Parks etc.
iii) Establish a separate Department/ Ministry at Central & State level for planning the action for looking after various requirements of Senior Citizens and this Department should be manned by Senior Citizens on honorarium basis. This will create second career opportunities and utilization of Think-tank appropriately. This Department may be allotted the following duties:-
a) Ensure implementation of all Policies, Acts etc of Govts for Senior Citizens.
b) Administer all Day Care Activity Centres and ensure all types of help to Senior Citizens.
c) Obtain & maintain full details of all Senior Citizens through DCACentres and make them responsible for welfare of all Senior Citizens in their areas.
iv) Raise the pension for BPL as per GDP and raise the present limit of Rs 18000 to annual GDP level, as that amount is due to each citizen! Notify income limit of Middle Class also and give them free or concessional facilities in various matters.
v) Make compulsory to appoint Senior Citizens on various Consultative Committees, if possible on honorarium basis or as a social service to keep them engaged and give benefit to the Society of their reach experience.
vi) Raise the age of retirement, keeping in view long healthy life span. With the overall development of economy and expansion of employment opportunities and keeping the fact that population of Senior Citizens is increasing at higher rate than new born, a legislation can be brought to engage Senior Citizens for certain jobs or a certain % can be fixed for engagement of Senior Citizens in Government, Public & Private Sectors, may be on honorarium basis with relaxed hours. Senior Citizens are also entitled to `Right to Work` as laid down in our Constitution.
vii) Make it mandatory for Public Sector, Corporate & other major Employers to provide Welfare Centres- Activity Centres for their retired employees to pass time; call the retired employees for all their official functions/celebrations and have a special function at least once on 1st October every year on Elders` Day. Provide facilities for picnics, some holiday homes etc.
viii) Encourage or make compulsory for all schools/colleges to encourage students to respect and help Senior Citizens, as & when & where possible and arrange some programmes to mix with Senior Citizens. This shall go a long way to integrate two generations. All Schools/Colleges should be requested to give one room to registered Associations of Senior Citizens, if requested every day in the evenings for their activities, gathering etc. Their Halls should also be given occasionally for lectures, functions etc.
It may be noted here that by solving or reducing the problems of Loneliness, the cases of Elder Abuse can not be reduced/curbed, except curbing/reducing the Self Abuse and murder cases to some extent.
Planning of Older Years to deal with emotional issues:-
Proper training for planning the retirement should be given to each citizen at appropriate age. Once a person retires or decides to retire from earning life, he should be able to live life happily and pass time usefully with his hobbies, engaging in social service, having a good Support Group, participating in activities of Senior Citizens Associations, developing the spirit of `let go`; endurance/tolerance, Forget & Forgive; giving up ego of status of earning life and assuming the new Status of Senior Citizen.
Let Us Reciprocate.
Let Us Reciprocate. M.V.Ruparelia.
In our First Innings, many of us were having a designation like General Manager, Engineer, Office Superintendent, Professional etc with some what defined duties and working time schedule like 9 to 5 etc and were habituated to live life like that! After retirement, some are in dilemma as to what to do without anything to do! One of the ways to come out of such dilemma is to accept our New and Universally acceptable & respectable designation of Senior Citizen given to us by the Society, Government & United Nations Organization. You are not an `Old Man`, `a Buddha` etc but you are respectable Senior Citizen and this position is accepted universally and you get respect & facilities throughout the World!
In our Second Innings of living as Senior Citizen, we are given respect, facilities, concessions etc as remuneration with an expectation that we shall serve our colleagues and other citizens by following our routine of First Innings of doing our job/duty regularly by fixing our own time schedule, may be of 1 hour, 2 hours or more, as we decide. No compulsion but you must follow your own schedule regularly for your self decided work for the benefit of your family, colleagues and society. If you do not do anything, how can you expect Government, your Federation or Association of Senior Citizens or any body else to do anything for you?
In first innings, you have taken lot of advantage of your family, being head of the family. You have taken lot of services from your spouse also. It is now your turn to reciprocate and help each member of the family in the way, you can, instead of still ordering and behaving differently & indifferently.
Society has also given you a lot. Now, you are free and having lot of time. Look around during your walks and observe. There are pot holes on the roads, roads are dug up & not restored yet, roads are dirty & not sweeped, dirty water is overflowing somewhere, some street lights are not burning in night or all are burning during broad day light, water supply is irregular etc. You can take up such & similar issues with authorities concerned for getting relief to citizens. You can teach to illiterate or to students of your pet subjects. You can give voluntary service in special drives like polio drops etc. Get engaged in some social NGOs working in your area forgetting the general preconceived idea/block that all NGOs are like this or that!! Improve their working by your sincere & straightforward working!
Our Associations of Senior Citizens have also done a lot for us & still doing. Let us join them in large number & strengthen them. To-day, out of almost 9 crores Senior Citizens in our Country, less than 2% are members of such Organizations/Associations of Senior Citizens. Out of such limited members also, hardly 10% take some part in activities of these Organizations-majority remain sleeping members! Let each educated (literate) Senior Citizen become member of such Organization. Let each existing member make at least one new member, if not every day, at least every week! Let us make our unfortunate illiterate Senior Citizens also members and make them literate also. Although, we are 9% of the population, if we see figures of voters, it will be observed that Senior Citizens form higher % of voters and on those basis, we are 15% of voters’ strength. With this strength, our organizations can get us lot of benefits, as in USA by AARP. Let us take one example of our participating! With more than 3 lakhs members affiliated to All India Senior Citizens Confederation (AISCCON), only 1500 subscribe to their Monthly Magazine, which is only costing Rs 100 p.a. Similar figures for other Magazines by other Organizations shall also indicate that we are not reciprocating to our Organizations, as we should. Let us also help our less fortunate colleagues in the ways, we can. If some one is sick or alone, go to him, talk to him, take him for a walk, to doctor, get him from bazaar, if he needs something etc.
Government has also given us, whatever it could give and still giving- not only concessions & facilities etc but also respect in the society and improving the quality of life in old age. It is our duty to cooperate & create cooperative attitude amongst citizens for various policies of the Government in power, forgetting our affiliation to any political party. In a democratic set up, it is necessary for matured citizens to respect the policies of the Government of majority. Protests, if any, have to be in peaceful manners & in democratic way and we should not form the habit of criticizing every action & every policy and indulge in protests for sake of protests. It is true that Government is not doing any special favour to us and it is their duty to look after our welfare, as done all over the World, but the spirit of giving back in return is a healthy and morally desirable practice.
Let us not take anything free from any one but give back, whatever; we can in kind by way of service! Let us reciprocate for ever thing to the extant possible.
In our First Innings, many of us were having a designation like General Manager, Engineer, Office Superintendent, Professional etc with some what defined duties and working time schedule like 9 to 5 etc and were habituated to live life like that! After retirement, some are in dilemma as to what to do without anything to do! One of the ways to come out of such dilemma is to accept our New and Universally acceptable & respectable designation of Senior Citizen given to us by the Society, Government & United Nations Organization. You are not an `Old Man`, `a Buddha` etc but you are respectable Senior Citizen and this position is accepted universally and you get respect & facilities throughout the World!
In our Second Innings of living as Senior Citizen, we are given respect, facilities, concessions etc as remuneration with an expectation that we shall serve our colleagues and other citizens by following our routine of First Innings of doing our job/duty regularly by fixing our own time schedule, may be of 1 hour, 2 hours or more, as we decide. No compulsion but you must follow your own schedule regularly for your self decided work for the benefit of your family, colleagues and society. If you do not do anything, how can you expect Government, your Federation or Association of Senior Citizens or any body else to do anything for you?
In first innings, you have taken lot of advantage of your family, being head of the family. You have taken lot of services from your spouse also. It is now your turn to reciprocate and help each member of the family in the way, you can, instead of still ordering and behaving differently & indifferently.
Society has also given you a lot. Now, you are free and having lot of time. Look around during your walks and observe. There are pot holes on the roads, roads are dug up & not restored yet, roads are dirty & not sweeped, dirty water is overflowing somewhere, some street lights are not burning in night or all are burning during broad day light, water supply is irregular etc. You can take up such & similar issues with authorities concerned for getting relief to citizens. You can teach to illiterate or to students of your pet subjects. You can give voluntary service in special drives like polio drops etc. Get engaged in some social NGOs working in your area forgetting the general preconceived idea/block that all NGOs are like this or that!! Improve their working by your sincere & straightforward working!
Our Associations of Senior Citizens have also done a lot for us & still doing. Let us join them in large number & strengthen them. To-day, out of almost 9 crores Senior Citizens in our Country, less than 2% are members of such Organizations/Associations of Senior Citizens. Out of such limited members also, hardly 10% take some part in activities of these Organizations-majority remain sleeping members! Let each educated (literate) Senior Citizen become member of such Organization. Let each existing member make at least one new member, if not every day, at least every week! Let us make our unfortunate illiterate Senior Citizens also members and make them literate also. Although, we are 9% of the population, if we see figures of voters, it will be observed that Senior Citizens form higher % of voters and on those basis, we are 15% of voters’ strength. With this strength, our organizations can get us lot of benefits, as in USA by AARP. Let us take one example of our participating! With more than 3 lakhs members affiliated to All India Senior Citizens Confederation (AISCCON), only 1500 subscribe to their Monthly Magazine, which is only costing Rs 100 p.a. Similar figures for other Magazines by other Organizations shall also indicate that we are not reciprocating to our Organizations, as we should. Let us also help our less fortunate colleagues in the ways, we can. If some one is sick or alone, go to him, talk to him, take him for a walk, to doctor, get him from bazaar, if he needs something etc.
Government has also given us, whatever it could give and still giving- not only concessions & facilities etc but also respect in the society and improving the quality of life in old age. It is our duty to cooperate & create cooperative attitude amongst citizens for various policies of the Government in power, forgetting our affiliation to any political party. In a democratic set up, it is necessary for matured citizens to respect the policies of the Government of majority. Protests, if any, have to be in peaceful manners & in democratic way and we should not form the habit of criticizing every action & every policy and indulge in protests for sake of protests. It is true that Government is not doing any special favour to us and it is their duty to look after our welfare, as done all over the World, but the spirit of giving back in return is a healthy and morally desirable practice.
Let us not take anything free from any one but give back, whatever; we can in kind by way of service! Let us reciprocate for ever thing to the extant possible.
Let Us Meet Mr. Inertia!
Let Us Meet Mr Inertia. M.V.Ruparelia.
Inertia has become our friend since long! We do not know since when? Knowingly or unknowingly or even by mistake also, we should not continue friendship with him any more! Let us meet him to know him properly. Where will you find him in you and around you- in your every inaction and in inaction of people around you, young as well as old! Some of the following inactions will show us where he is and why should we get rid of his friendship!
v On retirement, many feel that they have worked very hard and now is the time to relax. Within some time, they feel bored and face loneliness. They need a platform to connect socially & spiritually to fight loneliness. Associations of Senior Citizens are working in their vicinity but they would not join or participate in their activities. Associations offer good reading material by way of monthly magazine at nominal price but they will not subscribe. Invite them for good lectures by eminent speakers or renowned doctors on topics related to their age, no! Offer a picnic, no! Offer free Yoga & Computer classes, no! Make arrangements with some College/Institute for free use of well equipped library with all language newspapers, magazines, and books, attendance will be almost nil! You will find them roaming on roads with long faces alone or sitting on verandas of closed banks/shops, gazing aimlessly at passing women & pedestrians, gossiping, gulping dust from passing vehicles!! Inertia will not allow them to do anything new!
v People, though capable, will not complain or take up with concerned authorities for matters affecting them like potholes on their roads; street lights not burning in the night or burning till late noon; postman delivering posts after many days of receipt stamp; person on the counter not attending him, though first and waiting for a long time-either chitchatting or doing some other work; doctors not attending him properly or making him wait for a long time even after giving appointment etc etc.
v Some body misbehaves or molests helpless woman or beats some one, people will not go to their rescue or help them but get away quickly from there!
v Go on criticizing Government policies & actions but will not go for voting.
v The city witnesses a sharp rise in number of gastro entities, cholera, dengue etc but will not stop eating roadside foods or drink water only after boiling inspite of repeated warnings by Municipality.
v Will not remove banana skin or stone lying in our way. So on and so forth will be many examples of our inaction due to our friendship with Inertia!
Let us realize the cost of this friendship to us as well as to the Society & resolve on this auspicious day of World’s Elder Day to get rid of this friendship expeditiously! Let us live LIFE dynamically & fully instead of just passing days in company of Inertia!
Inertia has become our friend since long! We do not know since when? Knowingly or unknowingly or even by mistake also, we should not continue friendship with him any more! Let us meet him to know him properly. Where will you find him in you and around you- in your every inaction and in inaction of people around you, young as well as old! Some of the following inactions will show us where he is and why should we get rid of his friendship!
v On retirement, many feel that they have worked very hard and now is the time to relax. Within some time, they feel bored and face loneliness. They need a platform to connect socially & spiritually to fight loneliness. Associations of Senior Citizens are working in their vicinity but they would not join or participate in their activities. Associations offer good reading material by way of monthly magazine at nominal price but they will not subscribe. Invite them for good lectures by eminent speakers or renowned doctors on topics related to their age, no! Offer a picnic, no! Offer free Yoga & Computer classes, no! Make arrangements with some College/Institute for free use of well equipped library with all language newspapers, magazines, and books, attendance will be almost nil! You will find them roaming on roads with long faces alone or sitting on verandas of closed banks/shops, gazing aimlessly at passing women & pedestrians, gossiping, gulping dust from passing vehicles!! Inertia will not allow them to do anything new!
v People, though capable, will not complain or take up with concerned authorities for matters affecting them like potholes on their roads; street lights not burning in the night or burning till late noon; postman delivering posts after many days of receipt stamp; person on the counter not attending him, though first and waiting for a long time-either chitchatting or doing some other work; doctors not attending him properly or making him wait for a long time even after giving appointment etc etc.
v Some body misbehaves or molests helpless woman or beats some one, people will not go to their rescue or help them but get away quickly from there!
v Go on criticizing Government policies & actions but will not go for voting.
v The city witnesses a sharp rise in number of gastro entities, cholera, dengue etc but will not stop eating roadside foods or drink water only after boiling inspite of repeated warnings by Municipality.
v Will not remove banana skin or stone lying in our way. So on and so forth will be many examples of our inaction due to our friendship with Inertia!
Let us realize the cost of this friendship to us as well as to the Society & resolve on this auspicious day of World’s Elder Day to get rid of this friendship expeditiously! Let us live LIFE dynamically & fully instead of just passing days in company of Inertia!
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