In News: The Senior Citizens Act, officially called the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007 was enacted in 2007 by the Indian Parliament.
Ministry: Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
About Senior Citizens Act, 2007
- The chief objective behind this law was to make the provision of maintenance and welfare to old parents and senior citizens more effective.
- This Act makes it legally obliging for adult children and heirs to provide for parents by way of a monthly allowance.
- This Act provides an inexpensive and speedy procedure to claim monthly maintenance for parents and senior citizens
- According to this Act, parents could mean biological, adoptive or step-parents.
- Under this Act, there are also provisions to protect the life and property of such persons (elderly).
- Since enacting this Act, senior citizens who have transferred their movable or immovable property, on the condition that the transferee shall provide them basic amenities and take care of their physical needs refuse to do so, such a transfer of property shall be considered to have been made by fraud or by coercion or under undue influence. Such a transfer can be made void.
- Abandoning a senior citizen in any place is a criminal offence.
- The Act also provides for the state governments to establish at least one old age home in every district of the state, and also ensure adequate medical care for senior citizens.
- The Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens (Amendment) Bill, 2019.
- It seeks to amend The Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Bill, 2007.
New in the bill
- Definition of ‘children’ and ‘parents’, ‘maintenance’ and ‘welfare’ has been expanded.
- Mode of submission of application for maintenance has been enlarged.
- Ceiling of Rs 10,000/- as maintenance amount has been removed.
- Preference to dispose of applications of senior citizens, above eighty years of age, early has been included.
- Registration of Senior Citizens Care Homes/Homecare Service Agencies etc. have been included.
- Minimum standards for senior citizen care homes have been included in the Bill.
- Appointment of Nodal Police Officers for Senior Citizens in every Police Station and District level Special Police Unit for Senior Citizens has been included.
- Maintenance of Helpline for senior citizens has been included.
