New Delhi: India is considering policy measures for senior care that aim at providing health, financial, social and digital support to its aging population, officials said.
All stakeholder ministries, including the ministry of health and family welfare, the ministry of social justice and empowerment, ministry of finance and NITI Aayog are deliberating on the policy contours for elderly care, a senior government official told ET.
The budget next month could unveil the government’s action plan for senior care, they said. “Elderly care is one of the top priorities of the government ….some announcements are expected soon in this regard,” the official, involved in the deliberations, said, on the condition of anonymity.
The BJP, the majority partner in the ruling coalition government, in its election manifesto had promised measures for elderly care in the wake of major societal change.
Under the proposed plan, the government could expand the Ayushman Bharat PM Jan Arogya Yojana for all senior citizens, providing them access to free and quality healthcare, and increasing its coverage to various non-medical and at-home needs.
The government is also in talks with the private sector for a targeted and comprehensive health insurance product besides working on a regulatory framework for the real estate sector to develop senior care facilities, including elderly housing facilities.
Besides, there could be substantial upward revision in the senior citizens’ pension to account for inflation to cater to their financial needs. The current old age pension under the Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme for below poverty line population is Rs 200 a month for elderly people up to 79 years of age and Rs 500 for 80 years and above. This is fully funded by the Centre and the states can make a matching contribution to enhance the social security benefit.
On the legal front, the government feels there is a need to strengthen the existing Welfare and Maintenance Act to include components of abuse, harassment, protection, maintenance, and other support specific to the elderly population. Some benefits under the proposed policy could be brought in a graded manner, starting with health and followed by financial, digital and social empowerment of the elderly population.
NITI Aayog pegs India’s ageing population to be 319 million or 19.5% of the total population by 2050 from 104 million or 10% of the population now with the senior care industry estimated at $7 billion (Rs 57,881 crore).
At present, healthcare facilities are provided to the elderly under the National Programme for Health Care of the Elderly (NPHCE) run by the health ministry and the National Action Plan for Senior Citizens under the ministry of social justice and empowerment.
