CONCESSIONS AND FACILITIES GIVEN TO SENIOR CITIZENS
M.V.Ruparelia
(as of May 2011)
Part 8 Other Ministries, departments (miscellaneous)
28. Courts in the country accord priority to cases involving older persons and ensures their expeditious disposal. According to provisions of Chapter III of the Personal Law (Hindu) and Chapter IX of Code Of Criminal Procedure, older persons can claim maintenance from their children. Fast Track Courts are established to deal with cases of Senior Citizens promptly.
29. Large number of Old Age Homes/ Homes for terminally ill for Senior Citizens exists, where free as well as paying arrangements are provided with various facilities. Separate Colonies for Senior Citizens with community kitchen, safety needs, social & cultural necessities, medical facilities etc are provided by many private agencies at different places. Private enterprisers have started to produce various equipments etc, keeping in view the special needs of elderly population. Public transport also is providing Senior Citizen Friendly services.
30. a) Mumbai Police (1090), Dignity Foundation (23898078), Nargis Dutt Memorial Charitable Trust (1298) & many other Organizations have given Help Lines for Senior Citizens.
31. Large number of Associations Of Senior Citizens have come up in all areas, giving opportunities to express & share one’s views, get knowledge about various facilities available, get entertainment, group support etc. All India Senior Citizens Confederation, Help Age, Dignity Foundation, Harmony Foundation and many others are doing Yemen service to Senior Citizens and fight for their cause & welfare. Each Association must endeavor to do their best to serve senior citizens & citizens of their area. They should pursue their Municipal authorities to provide Day Care & Physio Therapy Centres in their area. They should pursue with local Public & Private Sector Undertakings to provide various facilities for Senior Citizens through their CSR/PPP funds. They should also help BPL Senior Citizens to get IGNOAP & other benefits.
32. i) Appellate Public Information Officer & Chief Post Master General, Maharashtra Circle, Mumbai has advised on 8-11-06 that they have issued instructions to all Units of Maharashtra to have 2 Queues in front of each Counter. One will be only for Senior Citizens, so that they can get their turn for service earlier.
ii) Public Information Officer & Dy General Manager, Western Railway, Mumbai has advised on 2-4-06 that directives have been issued to all Divisions that there should be separate Ques for Senior Citizens for providing case papers, Consultation with Doctors and issue of Medicines in all Railway Hospitals, Dispensaries, Health Units etc.
33. Protection of Life & Property of Senior Citizens: Each Police Commissioner/Police Station has been instructed to take all necessary steps for protection of life & property of Senior Stations. In city like Mumbai, where very large number of Senior Citizens reside alone at different places and where crime rate is quite high, it will be surprising to know that Mumbai Police reaches for help of all kinds to Senior Citizens within 2 minutes or maximum 7 minutes of your call on their Help Line 1090 or 100. This is what Shri D.Sivanandan, Mumbai Police Commissioner said in the function for inauguration of One more Help Line 1298 for Mumbai`s Senior Citizens by Nargis Dutt Memorial Charitable Trust on 10-5-10. Mumbai Police has provided 690 Motor Cycles of high speed and 400 vehicles fitted with GIS GPS facility with efficient net work of telephones etc, which enable police to reach the spot within 2 minutes and maximum 7 minutes. Senior Citizens can also call Police for help for any such emergencies like:
i) When they urgently require help of Medical Professionals,
ii) When they face situations that involve physical violence or pose a risk to their lives from outsiders or family members,
iii) When they need counseling to quell their feeling of despair & loneliness.
Senior Citizens should get themselves registered on line on www.hamarisuraksha.com orwww.mumbaipolice.org or on 1090 or by going to nearer Police Stations. All personal information will be kept confidential. They should also get their domestic servants, security guards of the Society, Milk/Newspaper suppliers etc also registered for better & quicker service by Police. Such registration is not compulsory for use of toll-free Help Line 1090 or 100. Help Line is a special service for Senior Citizens that will take care of physical & mental care of all Senior Citizens at all time for 24/7.
34. Accomodation for Associations of Senior Citizens: Maharashtra Government has directed all Municipalities to make available a suitable class room in municipal schools to nearby Associations of Senior Citizens free of charge for the whole day on Sunday/Holiday for their meetings & activities. Education Officer, BMMC has issued orders for this vide para A© of circular no. SRSC/3943 dt 1-2-08. Associations may conduct Day-Care Centers with benevolence of Municipal Authorities in the same room from 17 hrs to 20 hrs.
Thank God, I read the entire thing and very much impressed. But.....If it really happens? It is a great service to senior citizens. Now a day's it has become a fashion to advertise our great achivments. But when it comes to real problem, senior citizens are treated like untouchables. One forgets that they too will become old, and they will have to face the same problems.
ReplyDeleteThere is a saying * unless you jump into the water, you will not come to know how deep is the pond,how cold is the water. It is really a curse to become old. Every body wants your money,property. But no body needs you!!!!!!!!!
I hope & wish Senior citizens are treated in a dignified manner. And all the above mentioned things become reality.
Even if you perform thousands of pooja Havanas, even if you build thousands of temples it is waste of money & energy. You keep yourself in place of senior citizens, then only you can understand their flight. Really speaking ther the most UNWANTED in this curl world.
God belss those who have at least some soft corner for their helpless Elders.
Warm Regards.......KNG Rao
Sarve Jana sukhino bhavantu.........samsara sanmangalani bhavantu......A helpless senior citizen.
Yes, all human beings are bound to become old and your feelings holds true for all the times.
DeleteOnly problem is the attitude of youngsters towards older people.
The modern culture,attraction/greed for money, fame and mainly nuclear family setup ,lack of ethical values in life has neglected majority of ageing people.
Unless the people and the government does something to help senior citizens in providing a dignified living, this problem will pass on to youngsters tommorrow.
-amj.22,june2012,2.50 p.m.