International Day of Older Persons, 2013.

                       International Day of Older Persons, 2013.     M.V.Ruparelia.

The theme for International Day of Older Persons, 1st October 2013 is ``THE FUTURE WE WANT ‐WHAT OLDER PERSONS ARE SAYING.`` During this year, attention is to be drawn to the efforts of older persons , civil society organizations,  United Nations  organizations  and  Member  States  to  place  the  issue  of  ageing  on  the international development agenda. 

It was before 23 years on December 14, 1990 that the United Nations General Assembly voted to establish October 1 as the International Day of Older Persons. This day is celebrated by raising awareness about issues affecting the elderly. It is also a day to appreciate the contributions that older people make to society. This was preceded by initiatives such as the Vienna International Plan of Action on Ageing - which was adopted by the 1982 World Assembly on Ageing and endorsed later that year by the UN General Assembly. In 1991, the General Assembly adopted the United Nations Principles for Older Persons. In 2002, the Second World Assembly on Ageing adopted the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing to respond to the opportunities and challenges of population ageing in the 21st century and to promote the development of a society for all ages.

Let us write and request our President, Prime Minister, Nodal Minister & other Ministers and Chief Minister of our States/UTs as to What We Want. The following is What 12 crore Elders of the Country are saying:

1. Implement Important Provisions of Declared and Notified National Policy, 99: National Policy of Older Persons, 1999 was announced on 13-2-99 with the approval of Cabinet, covering all aspects required to be taken into account for real welfare of Older Persons. It is really a very comprehensive and extraordinary document leaving not a single aspect affecting the lives of Senior Citizens with clear directives for implementation. It is provided in its Mandate & Policy Statement (Paras 12 to 21) to take effective steps to improve the quality of life of all Elders, strengthen their legitimate place in society and help them to live their last spell of life with purpose, dignity and peace. Para 18 of the Policy provides that age 60+ is a phase, when individual should have chances and opportunities to lead an active, creative, productive and satisfying life. The Policy declares the Older Persons as respected Citizens requiring strengthening of their legitimate place in the Society. It recognizes the Older Persons as a Resource of the Country. It lays down in clear terms that each Ministry will prepare Five Year & Annual ACTION PLANS to implement aspects which concern them (Para 93) by fixing Targets and Time Schedules to take steps to ensure flow of all benefits to older persons. Paras 16 to 18 of Policy lay down that opportunities will be made available for the development of the potential of senior citizens and services will be provided so that they can improve the quality of their lives. They should get opportunities & equitable share in development programmes & administrative actions. They should have chances & opportunities to lead an active, creative, productive & satisfying life. Para 90 lays down that National Policy will be widely disseminated for which ACTION PLAN will be prepared so that its features remain in constant PUBLIC FOCUS. Para 91 clearly mentions that Policy will make a change in the lives of senior citizens only, if implemented. It also mentions that Apex Level Organizations of Senior Citizens have special responsibility to function as WATCHDOG, energize continuing action, mobilize Public Opinion & GENERATE PRESSURE for implementation of this Policy! No machinery is laid down to listen to any Organization of Elders!! Please, get proper & prompt action taken by each Ministry at Centre, State/UT and Local Bodies during 2013.

2. Provide Separate Ministry/Department:  Ministry of Social Justice is nominated as Nodal Ministry for Welfare of Elders. This Ministry deals with many subjects other than welfare of Senior Citizens and is not able to take appropriate & prompt action for welfare of Elders of the Country. We need a separate Ministry for 12 crore Senior Citizens (10% of total population, 13% of electorate and 21% of effective voters).

i)                3.  Provide Negotiating Machinery: At present, neither Nodal Ministry nor any other Ministry even sends a copy of circular/instructions affecting Elders to any of our Associations of Senior Citizens. Recognition of various Associations, as done by Ministry of Pension for Associations of Pensioners is necessary. One of the main requirement of NPOP, 99 is wide dissemination of information to Senior Citizens and their Organizations, so that they can function as watchdog, energize continuing action, mobilize public opinion and generate pressure for implementation of Policy, as laid down in para 91. Para 72 lays down that there will be continuous dialogue and communications with NGOs on ageing issues and on services to be provided. Para 90 provides that National Policy will be widely disseminated. Negotiation & Dissemination is completely neglected by Nodal Ministry. Separate Negotiating Machinery by recognizing existing registered Federations of Senior Citizens and separate Web Site for Senior Citizens is what we need.

4. Provide Avenues of Utilization of Elders: Even after 14 years of formation of the Policy for overall upliftment of Senior Citizens in paras 20, 21, 31, 55, 78, 79 etc, nothing is done for their proper utilization. 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 (Para 78) for which facilities are to be made available to use their potentiality as per their choice.

5. Create respect for Elders in the Society & Government: It is observed that Elders of the Country are not treated well in Society, as were being treated earlier-Matru Devo Bhav-Pitru Devo Bhav. Recent Help Age Report on Elder Abuse indicates this. They are treated as ``Spent Force`` by Government, which is apparent in non implementation of various notified and declared Policies. Para 15 of Policy, 99 states that State will strengthen the legitimate place of Elders in the Society. Para 18 states that Elders should have chances and opportunities to lead an active, creative, productive and satisfying life. State has to strengthen inter generational bonds and mutually supporting relationships. State has to encourage capable Senior Citizens to provide service to other senior citizens in need of help. It is necessary that the Family Support System continues to be functional to discharge its caring responsibilities, sensitizing the young on necessity & desirability of inter generational bonding etc. Each provision in Policy is important and requires highlighting.

6. Implement Maintenance & Welfare of Parents & Senior Citizens Act, 2007 fully: 10 States and 6 UTs have not yet operationalized this Act even after 6 years! Not a single State/UT has yet provided Old Age Home. No District Magistrates give wide publicity to the Act nor about Government Programmes for welfare of Elders; No State Councils nor District Committees are formed, no up to date lists of all senior citizens living in jurisdiction of each Police Station and formation of Volunteers` Committees for each Police Station are formed, as laid down. Many States have not provided for punishments for abandoning parents; restoring right to property in cases of not taking care of parents after getting property transferred and provision of free medical care in government hospitals, as provided in Act. This is required to be done early.

7. Get Cooperation of all Newspapers, private TV Channels and Bollywood etc: This  is absolutely necessary for creative use of entire Media for highlighting continuously the changing situations of Elders, active ageing, intergeneration bonds etc as per para 88 & 89. A weekly programme of one hour duration should be introduced in Doordarshan on various issues and concerns relating senior citizens viz health care, security, need for care & maintenance etc should be started early.

8. Increase Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension (IGNOAPS): As per para 25 of Policy, 99, BPL Senior Citizens were to be provided with Old Age Pension as succor and rates of monthly pension were to be revised at intervals so that inflation does not deflate its real purchasing power. At present, amount of Rs 300 is paid by Central Government to less than 1 crore senior citizens belonging to BPL Family out of 4 crore BPL Senior Citizens in the Country. This is a mockery of Elders of the Country. Financial Constrains are for only helpless, ailing BPL Elders of a Highly Advanced & Financially Prosperous Country, which boasts in the ENTIRE WORLD for having RESPECT for their ELDERS!! Government spends Rs 20000 p.a. (more than Rs 1600 p.m.) for one Under Trial Prisoner and much more for convicts. Even alcoholic & drug addicts are granted Rs 900 p.m. by same Govt for food during their remaining in Anti-addict Centres! Kindly, look in to this mockery of Elders and increase the amount to Rs 2000 p.m., as demanded by Pension Parishad. For Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojna (RSBY), Para 2.8.3 of Report of XII Five Year Plan (2012-17) Working Group on ``Social Welfare``(October, 2011 recommended to provide insurance to the extent of Rs 1 lakh in place of existing Rs 30000. This is required to be implemented early. RSBY is required to be modified on lines of Schemes being implemented by Maharashtra, Andhra & Tamilnadu States.