Senior Welfare Best Practices Exchange
Schemes for Senior Citizens in MAHARASHTRA
Compiled and sent by Shri Annasaheb Tekale: President, FESCOM and Advisor, AISCCON
1) Travel concessions – Currently in Maharashtra, all senior citizens above 75 years of age have been allowed free travel in all classes of buses of State Road Transport Corporation and all senior citizens between 65 to 75 years have been given 50% concession on travel. 50% concession on travel is also being provided for all women upto 65 years of age.
2) Health facilities – All the senior citizens of Maharashtra are provided with various health facilities. Earlier, Health Insurance limit was up to Rs. one and a half lakhs and now it will be increased to five lakhs. In case of critical illness, seniors will be admitted to the special super-specialty hospital.
3) Free Health Check Up – This will be done twice a year for every senior citizen in view of the increasing longevity. This will ensure prevention as it would be easy to detect a disease or disorder very early.
4) Senior Allowance – The government of Maharashtra has agreed to give an allowance of Rs 3000 per annum from this year to all the senior citizens who have completed the age of 65 and who do not receive any kind of pension nor pay income tax.
5) The Sanjay Gandhi Niraadhar Yojana for senior citizens below the poverty line has been increased to Rs 1,500 per month.
6) Control coordination committees with senior citizens have been established at the district level under the chairmanship of the collector in each district and two representatives of senior citizens are taken on that committee. This helps in raising various issues faced by seniors while Government policies are being implemented by bureaucracy. This forum is also useful to provide further suggestions, if any.
7) Separate cell in every police station – This is for senior citizens in every police station in every District. This is for speedy resolution of complaints of senior citizens. This is under implementation. Two local representatives of senior citizens are being appointed at the senior citizens cell.
8) Strict enforcement of Parental Maintenance Act 2007 and Act 2010. Government has accepted the request and all District Collectors have been warned and strict instructions have been given for appropriate implementation under this act.
9) Protest centers for senior citizens we demanded that the government should establish a protest center at the level of each municipality and village panchayat etc. The government has decided in the budget session that the establishment of a protest center in every local body has been made compulsory.
10) Control Committee for health In order to ensure that the health facilities meant for the senior citizens are provided on time, the government has appointed control committees at the state district and taluka level. Two representatives of senior citizen are being taken on this commit tees.
11) Distribution of support aids for seniors – Apart from this, items such as cane support, walker, wheelchair, hearing aid, eye glasses etc. are also distributed to the needy and below poverty line senior citizens free of cost
12) State Elderly Commission has been announced but details around rules, regulations and implementation yet to be announced.