State plans policy for senior citizens

Mumbai: Thirteen years after the Centre framed one, the state will prepare a policy for senior citizens, the aim of which is to makecertain that"society takes responsibility of its senior citizens, ensure them financial security, access to health care and housing andenablethem tolead adignifiedlife". 
    The government's move is notsurprising, given thefactthat according tothe2011census,1 crore people of its 11 crore population are above 60 years. Of them,47% are men and53%women.In rural areas,50%women in this age group arewidows. 
    The draft policy said, people attaining 60 yearswillbeconsidered "senior citizens", who will be further classified. Those between 60 and69,willbe given the tag of "capable of working", those between 70 and 80 "elderly" andthose above"very old". 
    Minister of state for social justice Sachin Ahir, who has been holding meetingsfor framing the policy, said the government would make it mandatory for all families to have non-slippery tilesin bathrooms andfix a rod on the wall to help elderly people keep balance. In all new constructions, builders will have to construct a separate bathroom for senior citizens. Besides, elderly people will be provided with a health card under Rajiv Gandhi Jeevandayi Yojana, free or subsidized travel on public transport and discounts on stay at MTDC resorts. The government also plans to direct buses to have low footboards; theatres will also have 10 seats —in two front rows and last two rows—reservedfor them. 
    Sheilu Sreenivasan, founder of NGO Dignity Foundation, saidtoimplementthe policy,the existing schemeswillhavetobe evolved. "Without schemes to help senior citizens access government aid, the policy will not besuccessful,"shesaid."Itis good that the Maharashtra governmentisdoing this,butby the timeitisimplemented,theCentre's new policy mightbeout." Earlier Act not yet implemented T he government is ready to draft a new policy for senior citizens but it is yet to implement the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007 though it framed rules in 2010. It even appointed 112 sub-divisional officers to head tribunals. The social justice department said the tribunal could not function in the absence of a panel of eminent citizens to assist the SDOs. "An SDO usually refers a case to the panel that tries to reach a settlement. When that fails, the SDO conducts a hearing and gives a verdict," said an official. TNN