NHRC notice to states, UTs on welfare of senior citizens

National Human Rights Commission today issued notices to all states and Union Territories after it observed that some of them are not implementing the provisions of an act meant for welfare of senior citizens.
In a statement, NHRC said it has observed that some of the state governments and Union Territories are not implementing the provisions of 'Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007' in its true spirit leading to violation of human rights.
It also said that there is a need to have a full time maintenance officer at sub-division level, as officers who are entrusted with the work relating to senior citizens have no time to deal with it.

Taking suo motu cognizance of the issue, the Commission issued notices to the chief secretaries of all the states and administrators of all Union Territories asking them to submit their reports within six weeks on whether they have constituted maintenance tribunals and appellate tribunal as required under different sections of the act, established old age homes and ensured medical support for senior citizens as required under the act.
The act provides that the governments shall establish old age homes for maintenance of the indigent senior citizens.
It also provides that the governments shall ensure that a government hospital or a hospital funded fully or partially by it shall provide beds for all senior citizens as far as possible for treatment of chronic, terminal and degenerative disease.