Bill to ensure family care for elderly with Cabinet for approval

New Delhi, Sep 14 (UNI) Faced with the problem of increasing marginalisation of the elderly in the society, the Social Justice and Empowerment Ministry is bringing in a Bill to ensure the senior citizens got adequate financial and family support, especially from their children.

The draft Bill called 'Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Bill, 1006' is with the Cabinet for its approval, said Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Meira Kumar after inaugurating a two-day conference of state social welfare officers here today.

She said the Bill was the result of the realisation that family support and financial security of the elderly people was undergoing constant erosion.

Ms Kumar said the Bill had been prepared after wide consultations with state governments, experts, NGOs and other stake holders.

She asked the welfare officers to give their input for finalisation of the Bill.

The Minister said she had called the meeting to review implementation of government schemes for disabled, Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Other Backward Classes (OBCs).

Special focus will be on schemes aimed at creating a barrier free environment for disabled in public buildings and public transport systems.

''We have to work harder to ensure that the commitments through the enactments of the PWD Act are fulfilled,'' she said.

The conference is also focusing on education for children with special needs under Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan and streamlining the procedure and issues relating to disability certificate.

Ms Kumar also stressed the need for simplification of procedures required to be followed by children availing scholarship.

''Empowerment of disadvantaged like Scheduled Castes, Other Backward Classes, Disbaled and victims of addiction through their educational, economic and social development is our priority concern,'' said Ms Kumar.

The Minister invited suggestions from officers on new areas of work that can be taken up for the welfare of these classes, and asked them bring to the Ministry's notice the problem areas.

Educational schemes for the (OBCs) like Pre and Post-Matric scholarships will also be reviewed at the conference.

For the development of (SCs), the focus will be on educational schemes for the community like Pre and Post-Matric scholarships, hostels for boys and girls, schemes for composite economic development for them and implementation of protection and Civil Right Act 1955 and Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities Act, 1989).

Suggestions will also be invited on the proposed new scheme for rehabilitation of manual scavengers.

UNI NAZ KD HT1357