Although the Centre had passed the Senior Citizen Welfare Act, 2007, to ensure security for old people, the tribunals set up in the state have received only 50 cases since 2009.
“The implementation of the act is going slowly. The tribunals have received only about 50 cases since 2009,” said VA Machakanur, director, department for empowerment of differently-abled and senior citizens, government of Karnataka.
He said many prefer contacting the helpline to registering a case.
GK Boregowda, secretary, department of parliamentary affairs and legislation, said the act had been not been properly implemented by the state.
The government is thinking of framing a law with the department of women and child development; the proposed law will be helpful for senior citizens. This is likely to be discussed in the next house session. The officials made these remarks on the sidelines of a two-day programme on regional consultation on minimum standards and regulatory mechanisms for age-care institutions held in Bangalore on Friday. It was organised by Nightingales Regional Resource and Training Centre and National Institute of Social Defence.
The outcome of the two-day function will be presented to the government.
There are about 100 old-age homes in the state but none of them have regulatory standards. “The scenario is fast changing even in the family/social structure. Whether we like it or not, the concept of old age homes has come into India,” he said.
The standards for urban old age homes and rural old age homes should be different.
By 2016, about 9.5% of the population will be senior citizens while by 2050, about 20% of the total population will comprise senior citizens.
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