Chennai:
India lacks adequate social security mechanisms for
senior citizens and elderly women, who have a greater lifespan than men, are vulnerable
as India’s joint family system turns nuclear, according to experts.
T S Krishnamurthy, former Chief Election Commissioner of
India, who is also associated with Helpage India said that Rs 200 pension per
month offered by the Union government and states for the senior citizens is not
adequate for even two day meals.
Hitting out the states and the Centre for not treating
the senior citizens with dignity, he said the government should provide free
medical aid for all senior citizens above 65.
Krishnamurthy, who is advocating the need for Senior
citizen centre in every district through Helpage India, feels that it could
work towards the welfare of senior citizens through frequent interactions among
the community.
He also mooted the idea for women’s wing for elderly and
said it should be taken up with the Ministry of Social Welfare and Justice.
D Rajasekharan, president of Federation of Senior
citizens Association of Tamil Nadu said that women who are now outliving men as
per the 2011 census, face several issues including social insecurity, financial
insecurity, emotional insecurity and medical problems which expose them to
destitution, alienation and isolation.
Quoting a research finding, he says with the growing age
of women, their role in family besides their support infrastructure, emotional
connects and security cover gets thinner by every passing day and they become
redundant for all concerned.
He said older women who live in cities are prone to more
social alienation in comparison to older women in villages because joint family system to a certain extent is
alive in rural areas.
R N Mittal, president of All India Confederation of
Senior Citizens said that the reason of elderly women not being aware of their
rights is because 85 per cent of these women are illiterate. He said that
Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana is inadequate for senior citizens. “It offers
only Rs 30,000 per year which is inadequate,” he added.
The seminar also highlighted that besides Goa, Delhi and
Tamil Nadu, where the state is contributing Rs 800 per month as pension for
senior citizens along with the Rs 200 pension from the Centre per month, there
has been lack of apathy towards the community. It was also suggested that there
should be a universal pension of atleast Rs 2,000 (Rs 1,000 from state and Rs
1,000 from Centre) for elderly.
Feminist writer A Oviya highlighted the plight of Indian women
who are burdened with responsibilities till death and lack freedom. She also
attributed to the hardwork put up by women as a reason for they outliving Indian
men.
Deputy inspector general of police K Periaiah highlighted
Tamil Nadu police role in ensuring the safety of elderly people while talking
about Tamil Nadu Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Rules,
2009. As per the rules each police station has to maintain and update senior
citizens living within its jurisdiction besides each police station has to
maintain a separate register containing all particulars relating to offences
committed against senior citizens.
There were also concerns that Indira Gandhi National Old
Age Pension is distributed irregularly and is inadequate. Interestingly, the
policy makers really have to rethink on pension and social security measures
with the rapid privatization being undertaken and jobs are being offered on
contract basis without any social security.
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