Pension Scheme for Senior Citizen

The National Policy on Older Persons (NPOP), 1999 envisages State support to ensure financial and food security, health care, shelter and protection of life and property of senior citizens.The Government also enacted the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007 which provides for maintenances of parents/senior citizens by children/relatives, establishment of old age homes for indigent senior citizens, adequate medical facilities and protection of life and property of senior citizens.

The Government is implementing the following two schemes for the benefit of senior citizens in the country:

(i) Scheme of Integrated Programme for Older Persons (IPOP) – financial assistance is provided to NGOs for running and maintenance of old age homes, day care centres, mobile medicare units, etc. Under the scheme, there is also a component for providing assistance to NGOs for running and maintenance of multi-facility care centres for destitute older widows.

(ii) Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme (IGNOAPS) – Central assistance is given towards pension @ Rs. 200/- per month per beneficiary to persons above 65 years belonging to a household below poverty line which is meant to be supplemented by at least an equal contribution by the States so that each beneficiary gets at least Rs.400/- per month as pension.

Besides, the Government has also extended various concessions/facilities for the benefit of senior citizens in the country.

This information was given by Shri. D. Napoleon, the Minister of State for Social Justice & Empowerment, in a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha today.