State Policy on Older Persons , Himachal Pradesh :

Aims & Objectives of State Policy:

•  The Goal of the State Policy is to maintain the well being of the older persons.
•  Its objective is to strengthen their legitimate place in the society and help them to live the last phase of their life with dignity and peace.
• The state aims to extend support for financial security, health care, shelter, welfare and other needs of older persons and provide protection against abuse and exploitation.
•  Programme will be formulated for the older persons, living in rural areas to ensure that they get equitable opportunities of development as prevailing in urban areas.
• The older persons shall be provided with the opportunities to lead an active, creative, productive and satisfying life, ensuring their productive involvement and not just care.
•  The policy aims at having an age-integrated society to strengthen intergenerational relationship particularly between children/youth and older persons.

 The policy recognizes that older persons are also resourceful and render useful service to society.

Strategies :

1. Shelter :

• Preference will be given to older persons living in indigent conditions for sanction of assistance for the constructions of houses under various housing schemes being implemented by the Department of Rural Development and SCs, OBCs and Minority Affairs, Himachal Pradesh subject to the condition of fulfilling the eligibility criteria and availability of funds under the scheme.  
• Training and orientation of town planners, architects and housing  administrator will include modules on barrier free needs of older persons for safe and comfortable living.  
• Preferences will be given to older persons in the allotment of flats on ground floor.  
• Civic authorities providing public utilities will provide top priority to attending complaints of older persons. Payment of civic dues will be facilitated.
•   Older persons will be given special consideration in prompt dealing with matters relating to transfer of property, mutations, property tax and other matters. Harassment and abuses will be checked.
•   The rights of parents without any means to be supported by their children has been recognized and simplified the procedure for speedy grant of maintenance allowance in the Himachal Pradesh Maintenance of Parents and Dependant Act, 2001.  
• Awareness programmes will be launched through dissemination of information through various means of communication including mass media, so that old parents unable to maintain himself or herself do not face abandonment and acute neglect.

2. Financial Security :

•  Financial insecurity is a great anxiety in old age . some level of income security in old age is a goal which will given high priority.
•  Old age pension will be provided to all the elderly persons living below the poverty line. Delays in the matter of selection of beneficiaries and disbursement of pensions will be checked. Rates of pension will be revised at intervals so that inflation does not deflate its real purchasing power.
• Long term saving instruments will be promoted to reach both urban and rural areas. Earners will be motivated to save in their working years for financial security in old age for which suitable schemes will be formulated.
•  Employment in income generation activities after superannuationØ should be the choice of individual. Non Governmental Organizations will be encouraged to provide career guidance, training, orientation and support services.  
• Reverse Mortgage lease schemes will be propagated to provide additional income to senior citizens.  
• Pre-retirement counseling programmes will be promoted and  assisted.  
• It will be ensured that pension, provident fund, gratuity and other  retirement benefits cases of Government employees are processed promptly and settled within the prescribed limits and superannuated person are not put to hardship due to administrative lapses. Accountability for delays will be fixed. Widows will be given special consideration in the matter of settlement of benefits accruing to them on the demise of husband.
•   Medical reimbursement claims of retirees will be settled on priority basis and adequate budget provisions will be made.

3. Health Care and Nutrition : Health care needs of older persons will be given high priority. The goal of State Government will be good affordable health schemes through following interventions:-  

• Elderly persons belonging to BPL families will be covered under Rashtriya Swasthya Beema Yojna (RSBY) of Health Department for medicare facilities and through non profit organization including trusts, charities and private medical care.  
• The primary health care system is the basic structure of public health care. It will be considerably expanded and strengthened and geriatric care facilities provided at secondary and tertiary levels.
•   Medical and paramedical personnel in primary, secondary and tertiary health care will be given training orientation in health care of the elderly. Facilities for specialization in geriatric medicine will be provided in medical colleges. Geriatric care will be included in training in nursing care. The private practitioner will be extended opportunities for orientation in geriatric care.  
• Public hospitals will be directed to ensure that elderly patients are not subjected to long waits and visits to different counters for medical tests and treatments. Geriatric wards will be set up and special OPDs will be arranged on specific days.
•  Private hospitals/trusts/chemists will be requested to offer a discount to older persons.  Older persons and their families will be given access to educational material on nutritional needs in old age.
• Mental health services will be expanded and strengthened. Families will be provided counseling facilities and information on care and treatment of older persons having mental health problems.

4. Education :

• Educational curriculum at all stages of formal and non formal education will be incorporated to strengthen intergenerational bonds mutually supporting relationship.  
• Schools will be encouraged and assisted to develop out reach programmes for interacting with older persons on regular basis and develop activities for them.
•  Educational training and information requirements of older  persons will be met. Information and educational material especially relevant to the lives of older persons will be developed and widely disseminated using mass media and non formal communication channels.

5. Welfare :

•   The vulnerable among the older persons such as poor, disabled, the infirm, the chronically sick and those without family support will be identified and institutional care will be provided as the 10 last resort when personal circumstances are such that their stay in old age homes becomes absolutely necessary.  
• The model concept for housing support- need for old homes will be adopted and it will be ensured that old age homes are designed scientifically so as to provide a comfortable environment to allow the process of ageing.  
• Assistance will be provided to only those voluntary organizations by way of grant-in-aids for the construction and maintenance of old age homes who fulfill the norms and other conditions as prescribed by the Government from time to time.  
• No person shall establish or maintain an institution for older persons without obtaining a certificate of registration from the Department of Social Justice & Empowerment.

6. Protection of life & property :

•  Old persons have become soft targets for criminal elements and  also become victim of fraudulent dealings, physical and emotional abuse within the household by family members to force them to part with their ownership rights. Widow’s rights of inheritance, occupancy and disposal are at times violated by their own children and relatives. It is important that protection is available to such older persons.
• Police will keep a friendly vigil on old persons or old single persons living alone and promote mechanisms of interaction with neighbourhood associations.
• Information and advice will be made available to older persons on the importance of keeping contact on phone with relatives, friends and neighbours and on precautions to be taken on matters such as prevention of unauthorized entry, hiring of domestic help, visits of repair and maintenance persons, vendors and others and the handling of cash & valuables.

 7. Other Areas of Action:  

• Identity cards will be issued to senior citizens for availing the  benefits being extended to them by the Government from time to time.
•  Preference will be given to senior citizens in reservation of seats and earmarking of seats in local public transport; modifications of designs of public transport vehicles for easy entry and exit; strict enforcement of traffic discipline at zebra crossings to facilitate older persons to cross streets.
•  Priority will be given to senior citizens while sanctioning gas and telephone connections and in fault repairs.
•  Concessions in entrance fees in leisure and entertainment facilities: art and cultural centers and places of tourist interest.
•   Speedy disposal of complaints of older persons relating to fraudulent dealings, cheating and other matters.  
• Older Persons Day will be celebrated on 1st October of every year. Activities will be planned and executed with the participation of different organizations of older persons.

Implementation :

1. The State Policy on older persons will be widely disseminated for which an action plan will be prepared so that its features remain in constant public focus.

2. A State Level Advisory Committee comprising of representatives of all the Departments / public agencies having interface with senior citizens and National/ International N.G.O. working in area of old age welfare will be setup.

3. The Department of Social Justice & Empowerment will be the nodal Department to coordinate all matters relating to the implementation of the State Policy for older persons. A separate cell at three levels i.e. Secretariat, Directorate and District Levels with adequate staff will be created in the department who will be responsible for preparing a plan of action for implementation and monitoring of the policy.

 4. Panchayati Raj institutions will be encouraged to participate in the implementation of State Policy and address local level issues. The Social Justice committees of village panchayats will advocate different measures for giving effect to the policy.