Question : Policy for Senior Citizens

(a) whether the Government proposes to enact an appropriate legislation/frame a policy to ensure that senior citizens in the country have access to social security, assistance and welfare services including payment of pension, housing and health care;

(b) if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether the Government plans to make it mandatory for spending a minimum of corporate social responsibility fund on the welfare of elderly persons and effect a tenfold hike on the old age pension;

(d) if so, the details thereof; and

(e) the other steps proposed to be taken by the Government for the betterment of elderly persons in the country?

MINISTER OF STATE FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT

(SHRI VIJAY SAMPLA)
(a), (b) and (e): The Government of India announced the National Policy on Older Persons (NPOP), 1999. The Policy interalia envisages State support to ensure financial and food security, healthcare, shelter and other needs of older persons, equitable share in development, protection against abuse and exploitation, and availability of services to improve the quality of their lives.
Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment had constituted a Committee in 2010 in order (i) to assess the present status of various issues concerning the senior citizens, in general, and implementation of national Policy on Older Persons (NPOP) 1999, in particular, and (ii) to draft a new NPOP keeping in view the emerging trends in demographic, socio-economic, technological and other relevant fields. Based on the draft proposed by the Committee, the Ministry, after examination and consultations, has prepared a draft policy which is under finalization.

(c)&(d): Äs per information furnished by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs , “Section 135 of the Companies Act, 2013 mandates every company above to prescribe threshold level of turnover or net worth or net profit to comply with the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) provisions of the Act. Activities that can be undertaken under CSR have been specified in Schedule VII of the Companies Act, 2013. Companies Act, 2013 does not provide for mandating the eligible companies to spend on a specific activity within those listed in Schedule VII of the Act”.