• Notification Date: 31-01-2022
• Notification No: N/A

Senior Citizens expect Increment in Social Pension in Budget 2022

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is going to announce the Union Budget 2022 on 1 February. In the present Covid-19 pandemic situation, the social welfare organizations that work for the welfare of senior citizens have demanded an increment in the social pension. They have demanded that the pension should be increased to Rs.3,000. Other demands have also been listed ahead by several organizations in the upcoming Budget 2022.

Several demands are rising regarding the welfare of senior citizens. These demands include the provisions for establishing skill training and retooling centres for elderly citizens. Demands have also been raised regarding GST exemptions on these services for elderly people and the products used by them.

The CEO of HelpAge India, Rohit Prasad has commented on this expectation from the Union Budget 2022 regarding the elderly citizens that to bring productive and effective impact in geriatric care in the country, implementation of the National Programme for Healthcare of Elderly (NPHCE) needs to be done vigorously. He also added that sufficient funds are also required for meeting the purpose.

According to the experts, there will be massive demand in the upcoming budget for increasing the pension of the elderly citizens of the country.

The Founder-chairman of Agewell Foundation, Himanshu Rath has commented that the senior members of the society are facing multiple challenges in several aspects of life. In the pandemic-stricken society, they need to be motivated with new opportunities in everyday life and they should be provided with chances to participate in the mainstream of life. He added that introducing a budget that contains friendly and beneficial provisions for the elderly people will certainly be helpful for the development of the elderly class across the country.

Agewell Foundation has conducted a survey of 5,000 elderly respondents in India recently. In the survey, 81% of the respondents have expressed an expectation of the government to consider issues related to the elderly people of the country.

According to a survey conducted by HelpAge India organization, it has been revealed that around 70% of elderly citizens have chronic diseases. 30% of the elderly citizens who live in the rural areas of BPL households are facilitated with old-age pensions.