Mumbai : The state government has decided to lower the age for attaining senior citizenship from 65 years to 60 years in order to bring it on par with the Central government. It has also decided to set up a ‘Senior Citizen Council’ in the state within one month.
The announcements in this regard were made during discussion on a calling attention motion moved by leader of opposition Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil on Tuesday.
“The decision will come into effect from March 2016,” Minister for Social Justice Rajkumar Badole announced in the state Legislative Assembly during ongoing winter session at Nagpur.
Members cutting across party lines had demanded that the state government should lower the age of citizenship to 60 years. “The government brought a Senior Citizen policy way back in 2013 and but it has not been implemented in letter and spirit,” the members complained.
BJP member Medha Kulkarni, Congress legislator Varsha Gaikwad, Madhukar Chavan, Nabi Abdul Sattar and others insisted that there was a need for pensionable age being reduced from 65 years to 60 years on par with Central Government’s Indira Gandhi Pension Scheme.
Vijay Wadettiwar of Congress demanded that elders, those staying in government-recognised shelter home for elders, are getting a meagre help of Rs 900 per month for their clothing, meals, bedding and medicine which is insufficient. He demanded that it should be raised to Rs 2,000 per month. Badole informed the House that there is a proposal to increase it to Rs. 1,500 per month.
Ashish Shelar of BJP sought to know whether the government intends to observe World Elder Abuse Awareness Day and when the State Council for Older Persons would be set up.
Replying to that, Badole said: “A decision regarding the Awareness day will be taken in three months and the Council will be set up within one month.”
The state government had earlier assured to work towards effective implementation of the ‘Senior Citizen Policy’ soon with an aim to provide better services, safety and security to the elderly.
“Government departments will soon be asked to issue Government Resolutions (GR) so as to make life of elderly people more comfortable and hassle-free,” Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had said while inaugurating an old age home a few days ago.
