Elderly NGOs seek major revisions in upcoming budget to support senior citizens

New Delhi: ith the Union Budget announcement approaching, elderly NGOs across India are urging the government to address the pressing needs of the country’s senior citizens.

Organisations like Agewell Foundation and HelpAge India have outlined comprehensive proposals to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, highlighting the urgent requirement for enhanced financial support, healthcare and social security for the elderly.

A significant demand is the revision of the central contribution to the old age pension under the National Social Assistance Program (NSAP).

The NGOs advocate increasing the pension amount from the current Rs 200-500 to at least Rs 1,000 per month for those aged over 60 years and Rs 1,500 per month for those aged over 80 years.

Combined with the state government contributions, this would set a national minimum pension of Rs 1,500 to Rs 3,000 per month, depending on the state’s fiscal capacity.

To enhance financial inclusion and livelihoods for older persons in the rural areas, the NGOs propose scaling up the Elder Self-Help Groups (ESHGs) model nationwide. This initiative aims to improve financial, social and digital inclusion for rural elders, with similar support suggested for urban areas through the National Urban Livelihoods Mission (NULM).

Agewell Foundation has appealed for several tax-related measures to benefit the senior citizens. These include raising the basic income tax exemption limit for seniors from Rs 3 lakh to Rs 5 lakh, making pensions tax-free for those with annual incomes up to Rs 12 lakh and increasing tax deductions under Sections 80C and 80TTB to Rs 75,000.

Additionally, they call for GST exemptions on essential services and products commonly used by the elderly such as adult diapers, medicines and healthcare equipment.

Dedicated healthcare services for the elderly are also a priority. The proposals include doorstep healthcare services for immobile seniors, creation of elderly helpdesks at tertiary care hospitals and accelerated implementation of the National Programme for Health Care of Elderly (NPHCE).

The NGOs stressed the importance of developing affordable geriatric health insurance products and expanding PMJAY coverage to include older adults aged over 60 years with specific income cutoffs.

Encouraging the continued participation of trained and active older workers in the formal workforce is another key recommendation.

Agewell Foundation suggested the introduction of a Prime Minister’s Self-Employment Scheme for retired people and setting up skill training and retooling centers for seniors to empower them for income generation in old age.

Creating an age-friendly environment is essential, the NGO said.

This includes ensuring public spaces and services are accessible and accommodating for senior citizens, delivering nutritional kits to elderly from below poverty line (BPL) families and setting up community-based multi-service day care centers with facilities for medical, physical fitness, recreation and reskilling.