Maharashtra will soon have a separate department and a commissionerate for the welfare of its senior citizens. The proposed senior citizens’ policy of the state government also recommended bringing down the age limit of senior citizens from 65 to 60 years, making them eligible for several government schemes. The policy is expected to be tabled in the state Cabinet for approval within a week or two.
The state has around 1.25 crore senior citizens, which is 10 per cent of the total population. By cutting down the age by five years, another 30 lakh senior citizens will be added to the state population.
The policy has been pending for a long time over differences to reduce the age limit of the senior citizens. The senior citizens’ policy of the Centre was also expected in the month of February this year, but was delayed, which resulted in more delay of the state’s policy as the latter was waiting to make the policy relevant with the Centre’s, said a senior officer of the social justice department.
“Our policy is now ready and we are going to table it as soon as possible,” confirmed R.D. Shinde, secretary of the social justice department.
According to sources, the state’s policy is a first-of-its-kind across the country and has proposed to make a separate portfolio and commissionerate for the welfare of senior citizens. Secondly, all the guidelines made for senior citizens before were not mandatory in nature, but after the policy, all departments and civic bodies will have to strictly follow them, said the source.
“Highlights of the policy are that the senior citizens would get concessions for medical treatment in government hospitals and in public transport buses i.e. BEST and State Transport buses. There would be a separate cell in all the police stations to deal with the cases of senior citizens, along with a helpline number for emergencies,” Mr Shinde added.