K. Wango Langsym speaking at the seminar on government schemes and benefits for senior citizens in Kohima on July 17. (Morung Photo)
Our Correspondent
Kohima | July 17
The National Helpline for Senior Citizens (NHSC) Nagaland conducted a seminar on government schemes and benefits for senior citizens at LCS building on July 17.
The NHSC Nagaland, Programme Manager Neithonuo Liegise said that some of the challenges which the society is facing with regard to the rapid growth of the elderly population are migration from villages to towns and cities for better jobs and education, strains on traditional care giving mechanism-shift from joint family to nuclear family set-up due to rapid modernization.
Liegise informed that the Ministry has directed the NHSC Nagaland to form strategic partnerships with various government departments and agencies/organizations for the successful implementation of the programme.
Of these, the most important departments are the Social Welfare, Health, Police and legal departments.
Strategic partnerships have been formed in the form of signing of Memorandum of Understanding with the Social Welfare Department and State Legal Services while partnerships with health services and police are in process.
The Elder Line toll free no. 14567 is yet to be officially launched, but the office has been function through its alternate number 0370–2290278 at its office located at CK Arcade Building, First Floor, Opposite Head Office, Kohima.
Senior Citizens and Old Age Pension Disbursement
Speaking on ‘Government benefits for Senior Citizens and Old Age Pension Disbursement,’ K Wango Langsym, Assistant Director, Directorate of Social Welfare highlighted on Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme (IGNOAPS), funded by Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India and implemented by Department of Social Welfare, Government of Nagaland.
Eligibility for this scheme is 60 years and above and one should possess below poverty line (BPL) certificate. The beneficiaries are given Rs 200 per month to senior citizens and Rs 500 to very senior citizens under the Old Age Pension Fund.
Stating that senior citizens have the ‘inherent right to life, dignity and the integrity,’ he asserted, “They have the right to be free from abuse, neglect and exploitation. They have the right to be free from discrimination.”
He said that wellbeing of older persons has been mandated in the Constitution of India. There are other provisions, too, which direct the State to improve the quality of life of its citizens, he said.
Social welfare scheme
Asenla Walling, Panel Lawyer, Kohima District Legal Services Authority spoke on focus, roles and services provided by KDLSA.
The primary focus of the Legal Services Authority (LSA) is not just to take up legal cases but to educate and create awareness about the individuals’ rights and legal matters, she said and explained briefly about the structure of the legal services, as well as the Pre and Post Litigation Process. She added that the elder Line Nagaland has a big role to play in ensuring that all the programs and schemes by the government are being implemented.
Maintenance and Welfare of Parents & Senior Citizens Act
Sunjib Rana, Retainer Lawyer KDLSA spoke on ‘Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act 2007.’
Stating that ‘parents’ include not only biological parents, but adoptive parents, grandparents and also step parents; and children include both biological, adopted and step children including daughters and sons-in-laws.
Under this Act, he said, a multi service day care, which will double up as a recreation centre, need to be set up for senior citizens to encourage peer interactions. Under the Act, old age homes need to be set up in all the districts in the State.
He maintained that the Act is essentially a set of duties that children have towards their parents, and that children are duty bound to care for their parents.
NHSC Nagaland
The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MoSJE), GoI National Institute of Social Defense (NISD), the Social Welfare Department of the State Government and the Good Samaritan Women Society, Nagaland has signed a tripartite MoU to start a National Senior Citizens Helpline - Elder Line, with the objective of expeditiously attending to the complaints and grievances of the senior citizens.
Under this agreement, National Helpline for Senior Citizens (NHSC) would operate through – Elder Line (Toll Free No. 14567). The MoU was signed with NISD, MoSJE and Empowerment and Good Samaritan Women Society on November 9, 2020.
The vision is to facilitate happy and healthy ageing by serving the senior citizens compassionately. The mission is to make a positive difference to the lives of senior citizens by creating a reliable National Helpline which acts as a platform for redressing the grievances of the senior citizens, by providing necessary information and intervention through a collective of highly committed partners including Government agencies, non-profit organizations and volunteers and caregivers.
The helpline team will facilitate rescue of homeless senior citizens and arrange for accommodation in Old Age Homes managed by NGOs or government run facilities and facilitate the process towards reuniting the elder persons with the family. The team will assist senior citizens in getting their abuse complaint resolved through Maintenance Tribunal or with the help of other stakeholders.
