The status of elderly in India has transformed a lot from the era gone by, in part because the society is in the throes of turbulent change. Examine and discuss the role played by Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act.

Introduction-

• Highlight the status quo of the elderly
• Mention that the share of the elderly in India living alone or only with a spouse increased from 9 per cent in 1992 to 19 per cent in 2006
• Both the share and size of elderly population is increasing over time

Body-

• Highlight the issues plaguing them and the changes that have taken place in society which is responsible for their current status.
• Discuss factors that have affected them like lack of infrastructure, changing family structure (mention that since 1991, the number of households has grown faster than the population. Nuclear families now constitute 70 per cent of all households), lack of social support, social inequality, Availability, Accessibility and Affordability of Healthcare, economic dependency.
• Discuss how the government through Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act made an attempt to ensure that the elderly in India do not suffer. Thereafter mention that the act made it a legal obligation for children to provide maintenance to parents in the form of a monthly allowance. In 2018, the revised Act seeks to increase the jail term for negligent children, broaden responsibility beyond biological children and grandchildren and expand the definition of maintenance to include safety and security.
• Highlight the limitations of the Act and discuss way forward

Way forward–

Mention that the share of elderly in population is set to increase and it’s imperative that we act to protect their interest.

Reference-

https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/elderly-population-in-india-life-expectancy-census-senior-citizens-act-5347730

https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/columns/focus-on-senior-citizens-too/article22334883.ece

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/lack-of-basic-rights-for-the-aged-a-concern-sc/article25736085.ece