Thursday, February 22, 2007

Senior Citizens Bill...

The Union Cabinet, in a significant decision for the welfare of the older people, approved the senior citizens bill on Thursday. The bill, the Maintenance And Welfare Of Parents And Senior Citizens Bill 2006, would be tabled in Lok Sabha in the coming Budget Session.

According to the new bill, efficient care and better protection would be provided to senior citizens in the country. The bill will also make available a prompt and reasonable legal framework for them. The legal support would help senior citizens to get better maintenance to live a comfortable life.

The senior Citizen Bill would make it obligatory for every person in the country to provide better care and comfortable financial assistance to their parents and grandparents.

The Bill says further that if a person fails to provide assistance to his or her parents, they would be treated as guilty of offence under the Senior Citizens Act.

Later, under the Act, the court may also order anybody to provide financial help to their parents and grandparents. Ignorance of those orders may send them to jail.

The idea and motive behind the bill is to make people responsible for the older people in the family. Moreover, the bill also says that the government would maintain a data of senior citizens living in an area and it would pay them Rs 1000 per month.

The government has also decided to provide enough old-age homes specially for those older people who have no body to take care of them.

Surprise.. In India, we talk about culture, family.. but we need a bill to enforce elderly care -- do you think this bill can change anything?? Can Law enforce love or respect ?

1 comments:

Indo Dreamin' said...

They passed this bill in India? I think that would be the last place that needed it. But if this is the case then I am glad a problem is being nipped in the bed. The way I have seen elders treated by thier own family in some places scares me.