The Government has enacted the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007 which inter-alia makes maintenance of parents/senior citizens by children/relatives obligatory and justiciable through Tribunals; revocation of transfer of property made by senior citizens in case of neglect by children/relatives; penal provision for abandonment of senior citizens; medical provisions for senior citizens; and protection of life and property of senior citizens. Further, under the Scheme of Integrated Programme for Senior Citizens (IPSrC), grant is given to Implementing Agencies for running and maintenance of Senior Citizens Homes/Old Age Homes for destitute senior citizens.
The Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment is implementing a Central Sector Scheme of Integrated Programme for Senior Citizens (IPSrC) under which grants are given for running and maintenance of Senior Citizens Homes/Old Age Homes, Continuous Care Homes, Mobile Medicare Units etc. to Implementing Agencies such as State Governments/UT Administrations (through Registered Societies)/Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs)/Local bodies; Non-Governmental/Voluntary Organizations; recognized youth organizations such as Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS) etc.
The performance of the Implementing Agencies under the Scheme is monitored from time to time through inter alia, periodic field visits by the nodal officers of this Ministry, Inspection of projects by Regional Resources Training Centres and inspection of the projects under the Scheme by the State Government. Grant to Implementing Agencies is released only on receipt of satisfactory Inspection Report, Specific recommendation of the State Government and Utilization Certificate in respect of grants released during the previous years.
As per the Seventh Schedule to the Constitution of India, ‘Police’ and ‘Public Order’ are State subjects. The responsibilities to maintain law and order, protection of life and property of the citizens rest primarily with the respective State Governments. The State Governments are competent to deal with such offences under the extant provisions of laws. However, Ministry of Home Affairs has issued advisories for combating crimes against senior citizens. These Advisories are also available on www.mha.gov.in.
This information was given by Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Shri Vijay Sampla in a written reply in Rajya Sabha today.
