Need for a special ministry for senior citizens

Reference:

The Supreme Court on January 20, 2025 allowed a petitioner seeking the creation of a dedicated ministry for senior citizens in the country to submit a request letter to the government.

Who is a senior citizen:

• Definition: In India, as per the National Policy on Older Persons, 1999, persons aged 60 years and above are defined as elderly or senior citizens.
  • Old age is generally associated with a decline in a person's mental and physical abilities and his social commitments.
  • It is a socially constructed concept rather than a biological condition.

Demand for a special ministry for senior citizens

• Petition: Recently, a petition was filed in the Supreme Court by organizations working for the elderly, demanding a special ministry for senior citizens.
• Court's decision: On the demand for a special ministry for senior citizens, the Supreme Court said that the court cannot interfere in this matter or direct the government to create a special ministry.
  • Creation of a new ministry is a matter outside the jurisdiction of the court.
• The court has asked the petitioner demanding a special ministry for senior citizens to contact the government.

Need for a special ministry for senior citizens

• Growing elderly population: India is probably one of the countries with the largest elderly population in the world.
  • According to the census of the year 2011, the population of senior citizens in the country is 10.38 crores, which is about 8.6% of the total population of the country.
  • According to the India Ageing Report-2023 of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the elderly population in India is increasing rapidly and by the year 2036, the number of people above 60 years of age will reach 15% (22.7 crores) of the total population.
• Impact on social structure: This unprecedented increase in the elderly population, if not clearly controlled by a special ministry/special department, will have a detrimental effect on health, economy and social structure at large.
• Addressing the problems of the elderly: There is a need to have a special ministry/special department for the elderly which can cater to policies, schemes, financial assistance, health care needs, pension etc.
• Constitutional rights: Senior citizens are a vulnerable class and they come under the constitutional ambit under Article 21 (Right to Dignified Life).
  • Senior citizens are entitled to the same level of protection and welfare as women and children under Article 15 of the Constitution due to their specific challenges and vulnerabilities.
• Elderly Centric Problem-Solving: Senior citizens face unique challenges on issues such as health, social structure, financial instability and dependency.

Current Status:

Currently, the Social Security Division under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has clubbed the issues of senior citizens with those of alcohol and drug abuse victims, transgender persons and beggars/destitutes.

Major challenges faced by the elderly at present

• Lack of financial security
• Lack of time and mutual love in family relationships
• Growing distance between the new and old generation
• Lack of health problems and care in old age
• Lack of shelters for homeless elderly
• Lack of elderly-centric policies and laws

Initiatives launched by the government for the welfare of the elderly:

• National Old Age Policy, 2011
• Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme
• Old Age Home and Shelter Home Scheme
• Pension and Health Insurance Schemes
• SACRED Portal (for Respectful Employment)
• SAGE Scheme (Seniorcare Aging Growth Engine)
• Elder Helpline 14567 Service

Conclusion:

Senior citizens in India are a highly sensitive class, for the resolution of their specific problems, there is a need to establish a special ministry/department by the central and state governments. This will not only solve the problems of the most vulnerable section of society but will also provide an opportunity to make good use of the knowledge and experience of the elders in society.