Ruparelia`s Blog: Senior Citizens National Protest Day-16-8-13 (SCNPD).Minister of Social Justice.

Senior Citizens National Protest Day-16-8-13 (SCNPD).

``Right Every Wrong`` Satyamev Jayte.

M.V.Ruparelia, A503 Rashmi Utsav, Near Jangid Estate & Vijay Park, Mira Road (East) Dist. Thane. 401107. M. 09821732855. E/Mail: mvrup@yahoo.co.in

To August 9^th, 2013.

Kumari Selja,, Honorable Minister of Social Justice & Empowerment,

Government of India, Shastri Bhawan, A Wing, Dr Rajendra Prasad Road, New Delhi-110101.

Respected Kumari Selja,

Sub: Non-implementation by Central Ministries & State Governments/UTs of Various Policies notified by the Government for Senior Citizens.

Ref: i) Our letter dt 15-2-13 to you and letters dt 15-4-10, 27-7-10, 2-8-10, 15-1-11, 12-8-11 and 11-8-12 to your predecessor.

ii) Our letters dt 11-7-12, 5-10-12 and 17-10-12 to Secretary (Welfare).

1. As you may be aware, United Nations Economic & Social Commission for Asia Specific (ESCAP), Bangkok is watching the action taken by Government for welfare of senior citizens and has requested all member countries to advise them the progress report for 19 Questionnaire in terms of The Economic and Social Council resolution 2010/14 for their Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing (MIPAA REVIEW), 2011. Our progress is very poor. Our Government had notified National Policy for Older Persons, 99 with the approval of Cabinet on 13-2-99. It was provided in its Mandate & Policy Statement 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. Large number of provisions of NPOP, 99 is not yet implemented even after 14 years and most of the States/UTs have not even adopted/accepted the Policy. Many of the concerned Central Ministries are not aware of provisions pertaining to them. Expectations of your 12 crore Elders promised by Government in Policy, 99 are not met with, which is considered as Elder Abuse by Government of Elders of the Country as per definition of INPEA. All Ministries of Central & State/UT governments are the apex authority of Government of India at the national/state level to formulate policies, sponsor and support programmes of the Government. It is regretted that many of the Ministries/Departments of Centre and State/UT have not taken any steps sincerely to act as per these provisions in Mandate & Policy Statement and on many other provisions of the Policy, 99 even after 14 full years. We have been representing to you, concerned Ministers by name of Central Government and Chief Ministers of States/UTs for our various demands through Memorandum issued on first Protest day of 16-8-10, second Solidarity Day on 16-8-11 and third Solidarity Day on 16-8-12. We have also been requesting you and others well in advance of preparation of Budgets to provide funds for our demands but no sincere efforts are made to implement many of the provisions of various policies declared and announced by the Government. We observe that Elders of the Country are repeatedly ignored by Central, State & Local Bodies and as such 12 crore Senior Citizens have united and decided to observe again 16-8-13 as National Protest Day. Ministry of Social Justice is nodal Ministry for Welfare of Senior Citizens. We have full faith in your leadership and request you to write personal D.O. letter and talk to your colleagues in the Cabinet and Chief Ministers of State/UTs to personally look in to this Policy, 99 and take immediate action on each provision of this 14 year old Policy by preparing Five Year and Annual Action Plans for their areas of function. In your personal D.O. letter to your colleagues in the cabinet and all Chief Ministers, kindly give a list of provisions concerning them and Five Year & Annual Action Plans obtained from them for early implementation. For ready reference, we enclose Ministry wise provisions not yet implemented. Position of States is known to Nodal Ministry and may be brought out. Decision No. 2701/IC(A)/2008 on 27-6-08 from Chief Information Commissioner, Delhi reads as under:- ``The Respondents has adopted a National Policy on Older Persons, which has not been effectively implemented. The Senior Citizens are, therefore, deprived of the benefits assured to them. The Respondent is, therefore, directed to clearly outline the Plan of Action and indicate its outcome for the larger benefits of the Society.``

i) 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 request you to get us a separate Ministry for 12 crore Senior Citizens (10% of total population, 13% of electorate and 21% of effective voters), keeping in view the likely position of having a huge population of Elders in coming years. The Department of Pension & Pensioners' Welfare is the nodal department for formulation of policies relating to pension and other retirement benefits of Central Govt. Apart from formulation of pension policy for the Central Govt. Pensioners/Family Pensioners, it also seeks to promote pensioners welfare and serves as a forum for the redressal of Pensioners' grievances. It has recognized many Associations of Pensioners and holds regular negotiations with them through SCOVA, provides Computer Portals and finance for that to several Associations and sends all circulars etc to Associations. Inspite of repeated representations, Ministry of Social Justice is neither creating National and State/District Associations of Older Persons (NAOP), as laid down in Policy, 99 nor recognizing any existing Associations for negotiation & dissemination of information, not even pursuing with other Ministries through Inter-Ministerial Committee, last meeting was held on 7-2-08. If separate Ministry is not possible immediately, a separate Bureau for Senior Citizen may be created as per para 92 of National Policy, 99 by providing sufficient staff and officers up to Secretary Level with pro-elder aptitude and attitude. Recently, this Ministry was bifurcated and matters pertaining to Senior Citizens were put under charge of Joint Secretary with other subjects. Looking to the deplorable position of pending issues of Elders, it is absolutely necessary to provide independent full time Secretary, Joint Secretary, Directors etc not only at Centre but also at State Level. National/State Commissions for Senior Citizens for ensuring no violations of Rights Of Senior Citizens are also necessary.

ii)

iii) 3. Provide Negotiating Machinery: You will be surprised to know that at present, neither your Nodal Ministry nor any other Ministry even sends a copy of circular/instructions affecting Elders to any of the Registered 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.

iv) 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 may kindly be got implemented to help early implementation of all policies. NCOP (now NCSC) is not a negotiating machinery and not functioning at all.

4. New Revised National Policy for Senior Citizens: Your predecessor was given Revised Policy on 30-3-11 by Committee, nominated on 28-1-10, in which large number of Government representatives were nominated with only 4 representatives of 12 crore elders and none from grass route level registered associations and is lying in Ministry for more than 27 months. From the time Review Committee was appointed on 28-1-10, action is not being taken on provisions of NPOP, 99 nor on suggestions by Review Committee. It is necessary that New Policy is notified early. 5. 5.Implementation of Maintenance & Welfare of Parents & Senior Citizens Act, 2007: 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. These aspects may be highlighted in your letter to Chief Ministers.

6. 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 by Nodal Ministry. Various provisions of Maintenance & Welfare of Parents & Senior Citizens Act, 2007 about looking after Elders by Children, providing meeting places and safety by Police etc also need highlighting & propaganda by Nodal Ministry, as done by Ministry of Personnel for RTI Act through continuous advertisements in TV, Newspapers etc. Cooperation of all Newspapers, private TV Channels and Bollywood etc is also 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. Only one episode of Satyamev Jayate has brought lot of awareness.

7. Modified Integrated Programme for Older Persons: This was issued effective from

1-4-08 but is not implemented by most of the States, as no instructions are issued by Nodal Ministry, Ministry of Urban Development and States to local bodies or NGOs etc. Ministry of Personnel is advertising often in Newspapers & TV Channels about usefulness of RTI Act to create awareness amongst Citizens. Our Nodal Ministry is doing nothing to create awareness amongst 12 crore Senior Citizens, Local Bodies & NGOs about not only this very useful programme of 16 schemes but about anything to keep the Society aware of changing situations of Elders, their issues and areas of action etc. Nodal Ministry or Ministry of Information & Broadcasting does nothing to create such awareness for any issues. Even on World Elder Day & World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, no advertisements appear in any newspapers or TV Channels in other than Delhi. This position requires to be improved and schemes under integrated programme need continuous publicity in media.

We have represented only 7 important issues for welfare of more than 12 crore Elders of the Country with earnest hope that Our Beloved Nodal Minister will make his Cabinet Members and all Chief Ministers realize the need of helping the Elders of the Country sincerely and promptly by implementing the Policies already decided and declared long ago.

We shall be obliged, if action taken is advised in terms of para 66 & 67 of Central Secretariat Manual and DOPT repeated instructions, last being 55/20/2012-P&PW© dt 18-2-13, indicating your plan of action.

Thanking You,

Yours Sincerely,

(M.V.Ruparelia)

Statement showing various provisions not yet implemented by various Ministries.

Sr No	Provisions	Ministry	Provisions for their staff	Our reference to Minister by name
1	12to 23, All paras, 71 to77, 83-85, 88-89,90,91 to 96, 98 All provisions of M & W Act, 2007	Nodal Ministry	30, 35, 39 to 42,44to46;64,68,70,73,76, 78-79, Provisions of NPHCE	Letters dt 15-2-13, 15-4-10, 27-7-10, 2-8-10, 15-1-11, 12-8-11 and 11-8-12 to Minister and letters dt 11-7-12, 5-10-12 and 17-10-12 to Secretary (Welfare).
2	-do- , 1 to 14, 24 to 31; 36, 63, 91, 93	Finance	-do-	12-8-12
3	-do- 33 to 47;91,93	Health	-do-	15-6-12
4	-do-, 70, 80to82, 88-89,90,91, 93	Information & B.	-do-	13-7-13, 2-8-12
5	-do- 31,55to 58;78-79,80 to 82,83to87, 91, 93	HRD	-do-	27-3-13, 24-7-12
6	-do- 31,54,61,78-79,82, 91, 93,97	Urban Dev	-do-	24-7-13
7	-do- 31,48 to 54, 61,78-79, 82, 91, 93,97	Housing &UPA	-do-	27-3-13, 1-8-12
8	-do- 24;31, 78-79,82,86,91, 93, 97	Labour & E.	-do-	1-8-12
9	-do- 54, 91, 93, 97	Panchayati Raj	-do-	1-8-12
10	-do-,35, 68, 91, 93,	Railways	-do-	15-1-11,12-8-11,12-8-12, 19-1-12 to Minister, 23-9-12 to CRB
11	-do- 91, 93,	Defence	-do-
12	-do- 25, 91, 93,	Rural Dev	-do-	21-1-11, 11-8-12
13	-do- 1 to 14; 59-60, 65to67, 69, 72to77, 83-85, 91, 93 All provisions of M & W Act, 2007.-do-	Home	-do-
14	1 to 14, 91, 93	Planning Com	-do-	9-1-12
15	-do-, 54,65,91, 93 Tribunal Provisions of M & W. Act, 2007	Law	-do-
16	-do- 5-6;11;60,91, 93, 97	Women & Child	-do-
17	-do- 26-27;54,69,91, 93	AR & Personnel	-do-
18	-do- ,55 to 58;86-87,91, 93	Education	-do-
19	-do- , 68,91, 93	Communication	-do-