Facilities for Senior Citizens

Facilities for Senior Citizens

The Ministry of Rural Development has informed National Level Monitors
 and Officers of the Ministry conduct inspections about the implementation
of schemes under the National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP). The
 irregularities in the implementation of schemes as and when received are
 forwarded to the concerned State/UT Governments for appropriate action.


Ministry of Railways has informed that a few references are received regarding
non-allotment of lower berths to senior citizens. In such cases, the position is
clarified that lower berths are allotted to senior citizens automatically by the
 system on a first come first served basis, subject to availability of such berths.



Ministry of Civil Aviation has informed that the complaints received from senior
 citizens relating to aviation sector are not significant in number.

As far as the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment is concerned, the
 complaints regarding implementation of Scheme of Integrated Programme for
Older Persons (IPOP), as and when received, are forwarded to the concerned
 State/UT Government for investigation and remedial action.  However, no
 complaint regarding deprival of benefits/facilities has been received under this
 Programme during the last one year.

The details of benefits/facilities provided by various Ministries of the Government
to the senior citizens is:



Facilities/Services being provided by various Ministries of the Government
 for the welfare of senior citizens of the country



Ø  The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment is implementing a Central
 Sector Scheme of Integrated programme for Older Persons (IPOP) since 1992
with the objective of improving the quality of life of senior citizens by providing
 basic amenities like shelter, food, medical care and entertainment opportunities
 and by encouraging productive and active ageing. Under this Scheme, financial
 assistance(up to 95% in the case of States of Jammu and Kashmir, Sikkim and
 North-eastern states and 90% for rest of the country) is provided to
 Non-Governmental/Voluntary Organisations, Panchayati Raj Institutions etc.
 for maintenance of Old Age Homes, Respite Care Homes and Continuous
 Care Homes, Multi-service centres, mobile medicare units, Day care centres
 for Alzheimer’s disease /Dementia patients, physiotherapy clinics for older
 persons etc. The Programme is mainly implemented through
Non-Governmental/Voluntary Organisations.



Ø  Ministry of Rural Developmentis administering National Social Assistance
Programme (NSAP). Under NSAP, Indira Gandhi Old Age Pension Scheme
 (IGNOAPS) is being implemented wherein central assistance is provided to
 persons of 60 years and above and belonging to family living below poverty
 line as per the criteria prescribed by the Government of India. Central assistance
 of Rs. 200/- per month is provided to person in the age group of 60-79 years
 and Rs. 500/- per month to persons of 80 years and above. Schemes under
NSAP are implemented by the State/UT Governments. Identification of beneficiaries
and disbursement of pension /assistance is done by the State/UT Governments.





Ø  Ministry of Health and Family Welfare had launched the National Programme
 for Health Care of the Elderly (NPHCE) in 2010 to provide dedicated health
 care facilities to the elderly people through State health delivery system at primary,
 secondary and tertiary levels, including outreach services. Following facilities
 are being provided under the Programme:

·         Geriatric OPD, 30 bedded Geriatric ward for in-patient care etc.
 at Regional Geriatric Centres. The Regional Geriatric Centres will also
undertake PG Courses in Geriatric for developing Human Resource.

·         Geriatric OPD and 10 bed Geriatric Ward at District Hospitals.

·         Bi-weekly Geriatric Clinic at Community Health Centres (CHCs).

·         Weekly Geriatric clinic at Primary Health Centres (PHCs).

·         Provision of Aids and Appliances at Sub-centres.



As on date, a total of 104 districts of 24 States/UTs and 8 Regional Geriatric
 Centres have been covered under the Programme. So far, 930 CHCs, 4439
 PHCs and 28767 Sub-centres have been covered under the programme.



Ø   Ministry of Railways



The following facilities have been extended by Ministry of Railways from time 
  to time to senior citizens:



·         As per rules, male Senior Citizens of minimum 60 years and lady Senior
 Citizens of minimum 58 years are granted concession in the basic fares of all
classes of Mail/Express/Rajdhani/Shatabdi/Jan Shatbdi/Duronto group of trains.
 The element of concession is 40% for men and 50% for women.

·         No proof of age is required at the time of purchasing tickets.  However,
they are required to carry some documentary proof as prescribed showing their
 age or date of birth and have to produce it if demanded by on-board ticket
 checking staff.  Senior Citizens can book reserve tickets across the reservation
 counters as well as through internet.



·         In the computerised Passenger ReservationSystem (PRS), there is a
 provision to allot lower berths to Senior Citizens, Femalepassengers of 45
 years and above automatically, even if no choice is given, subject to availability
 of accommodation at the time of booking.



·         In all trains having reserved accommodation, a combined quota of two
 lower births per coach has been earmarked in sleeper, A/C 3 tier and A/C2
 tier classes for the Senior Citizens, Female passengers aged 45 years above
 and pregnant women when travelling alone.



·         Accommodation is also earmarked for Senior Citizens during specified
 hours on suburban sections by Central and Western Railways.



·         Instructions exist for provisions of wheel chairs at stations.  This facility
 is provided, duly escorted by coolies on payment as per present practice.
 Moreover, Zonal Railways have also been advised to provide free of cost
 ‘Battery Operated Vehicles for Disabled and Old Aged passengers’at
Railway Stations.



·         After departure of the train, if there are vacant lower berths available
 in the train and if any physically handicapped person booked on the authority
 of handicapped concession or a senior citizen, who has been allotted upper/middle
 berth, approaches for allotment of vacant lower berths, the on-board Ticket
 Checking Staff has been authorised to allot the vacant lower berth to them
making necessary entries in the chart. 



·         Separate counters are earmarked at various Passengers Reservation
 System (PRS) centres for dealing with the reservation requisitions received
 from physically handicapped persons, senior citizens, ex-MPS, MLAs
accredited journalists and freedom fighters, if the average demand per shift
not less than 120 tickets. In case there is no justification for earmarking of
 an exclusive counter for any of these categories of persons including
 handicapped persons or senior citizens, one or two counters depending
 upon the total demand are earmarked for dealing with the reservation
 requests for all these categories of persons.





Ø    Ministry of Finance

A number of incentives have been provided under the Income Tax Act,
 1961, to a senior citizen (ie., an individual, resident in India, who is of
 the age of 60 years or more at any time during the relevant previous year).
 Some such incentives are enumerated below:



·         A Senior Citizen is liable to Income-Tax if his total income exceeds
 Rs.3 lakh as against the exemption limit of Rs.2.5 lakh applicable in the
 case of other individuals.  An individual resident in India who is of the age
 of 80 years or more at any time during the relevant previous year is liable
 to income tax if his total income exceeds Rs.5 lakh.



·         Any sum deposited in an account under the Senior Citizens Savings
Scheme Rules, 2004 is eligible for deduction under section 80C of the
 Income-Tax Act subject to a limit of Rs.1.5 lakh.



·         A deduction of Rs.20,000/- (Rs.15,000/- in other cases) is allowed
 under Section 80D of the Income Tax Act in respect of premium paid to
effect or keep in force an insurance on the health of an individual being a Senior Citizen.



·         A deduction of Rs.60,000/- (Rs.40,000/- in other cases) is allowed
 under Section 80DDB of the Income-Tax Act on amount of expenditure
 actually incurred for the treatment of specified diseases in case of a Senior Citizen.



·         No deduction of tax at source is required to be made under Section
193, 194, 194A, 194EE or 194K of the Income Tax Act in case of Senior
 Citizen if he furnishes to the deductor a declaration to the effect that the tax
on his estimated total income of the relevant previous will be nil. 



Ø  Ministry of Civil Aviation:



In order to facilitate the passengers, particularly senior citizens, expectant  mothers,
 passengers with disability, first time travellers etc. all the stakeholders have been
 instructed to ensure that the following requirements are complied:



·      Airline /airport operator shall ensure provision of automated buggies freeof
charge for all senior citizens, in the terminal building to facilitate their access to
 boarding gates located beyond reasonable walking distance at all airports having
 annual aircraft movements of 50,000 or more. This facility may be extended to
other needy passengers on demand basis free of charge.

·      Airport operators shall provide small trolleys after security check for
carriage of hand baggage (permitted as per regulation) up to the boarding gate.



·      Airport operator shall adequately display information regarding availability
 of automated buggies and small trolleys in the terminal building at prominent
 locations including dos and don’ts regarding the same. This shall also be
 published on the website of the airport operator.



·      Further, Air India offers 50% discount to senior citizens on the highest
 economy class Basic Fare. The discount is offered to those who have
completed 63 years of age on the date of commencement of journey.



·      Senior citizens can also avail multi-level fares offered by Air India on
each sector for travel on domestic sectors, starting from a low level advance
 purchase fares which facilitate early selling to the highest one.

This information was given by the Minister of State for Social Justice and
 Empowerment, Shri Vijay Sampla in a written reply to a question in
 Rajya Sabha here today.



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