Rural Development Minister Dr.Raghuvansh Prasad Singh at the formal launch of the pension scheme. NEW DELHI (Press Information Bureau), November 19, 2007:
India's National Old Age Pension Scheme for senior citizens who are 65 years of age or above and living below the poverty line (BPL) was formally launched today. A large number of senior citizens from different parts of the country attended the launching ceremony in the Parliament complex.
Rural Development Minister Dr.Raghuvansh Prasad Singh welcomed Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh who launched the scheme and urged for a reduction in the present age of 65 years to 60 years and to extend the pension scheme to all persons from the BPL families including the widows, destitutes and physically challenged persons of that age group.
Finance Minister P. Chidambaram asserted government intends to double the number of present 8.7 million beneficiaries under this scheme. The state governments have been asked to respond positively. Eleven states have already responded positively to provide their share.
Mr. Chidambaram also requested that states be instructed to have a bank account for all beneficiaries by July 2008 so the pension money can be sent to them directly.
Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh termed the new scheme as a demand driven social security programme not restricted by budget allocations. The old age pension scheme needs to be further extended to cover all those above 60 years and this would be done in future, he hoped.
The Prime Minister gave away pension papers to one beneficiary from each of 24 States and Union Territories as a symbolic gesture.
The National Old Age Pension Scheme was a public response to the deprivation, and insecurities faced by the aged.
Firstly, adults in poor households themselves face insecurity of work and income in their quest to lead lives of security and some dignity.
Secondly, in India the aged are generally dependent on their children for support. The presence of the aged in poor families adds to the financial burden and further deprivation of the family as a whole. The insecurity of the household is further exacerbated by general poverty and greater morbidity among the aged.
Thirdly, the absence of adequate public health care facilities, and the increasing cost of private healthcare facilities for the aged can throw the household into a major crisis.
As the demographic transition picks up in India, the share of the aged is likely to increase and so will the insecurities of the aged.
Wth today's launching, the old age pension scheme has been broad based to cover all those who are 65 years or above and belong to the BPL families instead of only destitute under the previous scheme. Under the new Scheme, the States have to certify that all eligible persons have been covered and that the pension is credited wherever possible into a post office or public sector bank account of the beneficiary.
Source: Press Information Bureau
