As legal venues alone may not be enough to ensure ease of living for the elderly, a multi-pronged approach to ensure emotional, mental, and financial well-being of the senior citizens was mooted by NITI Aayog member, Dr Vinod K Paul.
In a special address at the National Conference on Ageing in India: Emerging Realities, Evolving Response in Delhi on Friday, the NITI Aayog member (Nutrition and Education) mooted a comprehensive welfare scheme for the elderly that calls for developing an easy pathway for the senior citizens.
Firstly, it should ensured that the elederly must be taken care of at home and also within the community by supporting the families financially and otherwise, Dr Paul said. Along with this, he suggested framing a charter of ease of living for the senior citizens and finally, the society must prepare the elderly for old age early on in life, not only financially but also physically and mentally.
Earlier inaugurating the day-long national conference, Justice V. Ramasubramanian, Chairman, National Human Rights Commission, said over and above legal avenues, the society should work towards giving the elderly persons companionship and care beyond statutory support. “Upholding the dignity of the elderly people was the collective responsibility of the society,” the NHRC chief said.
He also spoke about the Core Group on Protection and Welfare of Elderly Persons, which aims to strengthen statutory systems and issues directives to states for improving elder care. A status report titled ‘Ageing in India: Challenges and Opportunities’ by Sankala Foundation was released during the event.
Dr Bharat Lal, Secretary General and CEO of NHRC, emphasised the dual nature of ageing in India – as both a challenge and an opportunity. With 35 crore individuals expected to be over 60 years of age by 2050, he called for urgent action. “India must invest in age-friendly infrastructure – from accessible transport and senior housing to geriatric healthcare,” he said. He underscored the importance of community caregiving models and the standardisation of the caregiving sector to promote the silver economy.
Dr Lal also highlighted the NHRC’s collaboration with the National Medical Commission to strengthen India’s mental healthcare system, aiming to double the number of psychiatrists in five years. “We must reframe ageing from a burden to a strategic dividend,” he said, pointing to the potential of older persons as economic and social contributors through active ageing programs, digital literacy, and intergenerational knowledge sharing. Calling for a coordinated approach, he urged the involvement of government, private sector, academia, and civil society to scale community-based models grounded in Indian cultural values.
Mr Amit Yadav, Secretary, Ministry of Social Welfare and Empowerment, shared that a new policy for elderly welfare is underway, focusing on ageing with dignity, healthy living, and early life preparation for old age.
Mr Vijay Nehra, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, said the Ministry is evaluating the National Programme for the Health Care of Elderly and would incorporate the conference’s recommendations.
The day-long event featured three technical sessions on strengthening elderly welfare, health and mental wellbeing, and leveraging ageing for national growth. Prominent participants included Mr Amitabh Kant, former CEO, NITI Aayog; Ms Preeti Sudan, former Chairperson, UPSC; Dr Manohar Agnani, Professor of Public Health, Azim Premji University; Dr Kiran Bedi, former Lt Governor of Puducherry; and Mr V. Srinivas, Secretary, Department of Pensions and Pensioners Welfare.
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