NEW DELHI: The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment is planning to roll out a national action plan to popularise the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens (MWPSC) Act 2007, a law for the welfare of senior citizens.
The national action plan will plan on publicity materials on the Act. The focus of the plan will be on financial security, healthcare, housing, transportation, and nutritional benefits, among others, of senior citizens in the country.
The national action plan features among the priorities of the Centre in its 100-day agenda of social issues.
“Formulating the national action plan for the MWPSC Act is going to feature as one of the top agendas for the ministry. The ministry shall push to bring the amendments and has already drafted the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens (Amendment) Bill. This is to address the loopholes in the 2007 Act,” said a senior ministry official.
“One of the priority areas of the national action plan is the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment working closely with the aligned ministries. It will be coordinating closely with the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Corporate Affairs, Ministry of Rural Development, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways,” the official added.
A sub-committee formed for the purpose will submit the finer details of the national action plan within the next week. The lack of a national action plan is why the Act still remains less popular among senior citizens.
Initially drafted for a financial year, the action plan will be extended for the next five years starting 2020.
Little awareness in rural areas
Despite the law having been passed in 2007, awareness about it in rural and urban areas remains poor. This poses a challenge to proper utilisation of government schemes. Initially drafted for a financial year, the action plan will be extended for the next five years starting 2020.