Government raises assistance to rural poor for housing

The Union Cabinet has approved the proposal of the Ministry of Rural Development to provide a quality and affordable house to the rural poor keeping in view the steep increase in cost of materials.

The Government has raised the amount of assistance from Rs 45,000 to Rs 70,000 for construction of a dwelling unit in Indira Awaas Yojana.  For hilly and other difficult areas, the grants for constructing houses have been increased from Rs 48,500 crore to Rs 75,000.

There will also be a provision now of loan up to Rs 20,000 - up from Rs 10,000 - with four per cent interest for buying land for the house.

About Indira Awaas Yojana:
The IAY is a flagship scheme of the Ministry of Rural Development and aims at addressing rural housing issues by providing grant for construction / upgradation of dwelling units of BPL families especially giving priority to Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes, freed bonded labourers and physically challenged persons with financial assistance of Rs. 45,000/- in plain areas and Rs. 48,500/- in hilly /difficult areas. 

Women Scientists Scheme

The women Scientists Scholarship Scheme (WSSS) undertaken by the Ministry of Science and Technology has yielded tangible results for inducting women scientists in the field of Science. The number of scholarships awarded so far subject wise are: Biotechnology (60), Earth & Atmospheric Sciences (92), Engineering Sciences (176), Physical & Mathematical Sciences (199), Chemical Sciences (221), Life Sciences (820), Livelihood Generation and Development of Rural Technology (300) and Self employment in Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) (310). Out of all Women Fellowship Scientists, about 35% women got position in different sectors like R&D institution, Colleges, Universities, Public Sectors, Intellectual Property firms etc. The total amount dispensed under the scholarship schemes till date is Rs. 205 crores.

Janashree Bima Yojana and Aam Aadmi Bima Yojana Merged for better Administration

The Government has merged Janashree Bima Yojana (JBY) and Aam Aadmi Bima Yojana (AABY) into one scheme, since both the schemes have similar structure of benefits, premium and target group and are being implemented through Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC). The schemes were merged for better administration and services in providing life insurance cover to the economically backward sections of the society. It will also avoid any duplication of coverage of lives under the two schemes and thus allow more accurate claim experience.

The objective of the merger of the two schemes is not to increase the savings but to ensure better administration and services under the schemes and also avoid any duplication of coverage of lives under the two existing schemes. 

Sonia Gandhi launches "Delhi Annshri Yojna"

UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi has launched a major food security programme of Delhi Government "Delhi Annshri Yojna" on December 15.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi strongly backed the Centre's new Direct Benefit Transfer system that will ensure cash transfer directly in the hands of beneficiaries of various schemes, saying it is in line with many other "revolutionary" measures taken by the UPA.

Gandhi, who is also UPA Chairperson, also announced her intent to bring the much-talked out Food Security Bill in Parliament soon to ensure that no poor family remains hungry.
She made the remarks while unveiling the Delhi government's ambitious food programme 'Annashree' under which monthly cash subsidy of Rs 600 will be transferred directly into bank account of the senior-most female member of two lakh poor families.
While hailing the scheme as the country's first totally Aadhar-based cash transfer programme, Gandhi chose the occasion to highlight the central government's Direct Benefit Transfer system, which will be implemented in 51 districts from January 1 facilitating cash entitlement in a total of 34 schemes.

Bhagidari (Partnership) Scheme

The Bhagidari (Partnership) Scheme, initiated by Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi, involves bringing together of local area people, officials and political leaders in a round table for identifying and solving the community problems.

Rajiv Gandhi Equity Savings scheme notified

Rajiv Gandhi Equity Savings Scheme (RGESS), to encourage small investors to channelise their savings into domestic capital markets, has been notified by the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT).

The scheme has been framed consequent to the introduction of Section 80-CCG in the Finance Act 2012.

Under this scheme, a one-time deduction for income tax purposes will be available to a “new retail investor.”

The new retail investor will be eligible for a deduction on the actual amount invested in ‘eligible securities’ in the first financial year, subject to maximum deduction limit of Rs 50,000.

Schemes & Facilities for the Senior Citizens

A demographic revolution is taking place throughout the world indicating a phenomenal rise in the population of the elderly. According to a UN estimate, the population of the people aged 60 years and above is expected to grow to 1.2 billion by 2025 and to 2 billion by 2050. Today, about two thirds of all the older people are living in the developing world. As per the Census 2001, in India, there were 77 million persons above 60 years constituting 7.5% of the total population of the country. This number is projected to go up to 12.4% of the population in 2026. Such an increase obviously will throw up numerous challenges in designing old age specific programmes and schemes and addressing their issues in a comprehensive manner.  

The Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment announced a National Policy for Older Persons in January, 1999. This policy reaffirmed the commitment of the Government to ensure the well-being of the older persons in a holistic manner. The National Policy for Older Persons essentially envisages support from the State to the older persons to ensure their financial and food security, health care, the need for shelter as well as other needs of the older persons, providing them an equitable share in development, giving them protection against abuse and exploitation, and ensuring the availability of servicesto improve the quality of lives of the older persons.

Thirteen years have elapsed since this policy was announced. Keeping in view the changing demographic pattern, the socio-economic conditions and the technological development in the country, the Government is in the process of bringing out a new National Policy. The draft of the new policy is ready. The new Policy is expected to cover a wider spectrum of the issues and challenges facing the elderly.

An institutional mechanism has been put in place to monitor the implementation of the existing national Policy for older persons and to advise the Government regarding the formulation and implementation of the policy and programmes for the aged through a National Council for Older Persons, under the Chairmanship of the Minister of Social Justice & Empowerment. The Council was first constituted in the year 1999 for a period of five years. It was reconstituted for another period of five years in the year 2005. However, the composition of this Council was not comprehensive enough as it did not contain sufficient non-official members to maintain regional balance. Besides, it also did not include the representatives of some of the Ministries/Departments dealing with issues related to the senior citizens.  With a view to address these issues, the Council has been re-constituted and has now been renamed as the National Council of Senior Citizens. A Resolution to this effect has been issued in the Gazette of India (Extraordinary) on 22^ndFebruary 2011.

The Parliament enacted the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act in December 2007, a landmark development. This Act has made the maintenance of parents and senior citizens by children, and where there are no children, then by the relatives, obligatory and justiciable through Tribunals. The Act has to be brought into force by the individual State Governments. It is not applicable to the State of Jammu & Kashmir, while Himachal Pradesh has its own Act, with the concerted efforts made by the Ministry, all the States and UTs have been persuaded to bring the Act into force in the respective States.

For the effective implementation of the various provision of the Act, the States and UTs are required to take further steps, such as framing Rules, appointing Maintenance Officers, and constituting the Maintenance and Appellate Tribunals. As per information available in the Ministry, 14 States and 5 UTs have taken all these necessary steps.

The Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment is also implementing the “Integrated Programme of Older Persons" since 1992 with a view to improve the quality of life of older persons by providing basic amenities like shelter, food, medical care, entertainment opportunities, etc. Under this Scheme, financial assistance up to 90% is provided to Governments/Non-Governmental Organizations/ Panchayati Raj Institutions/ local bodies etc. for running and maintaining old age homes, day care centres, mobile medicare units, day care centres for Alzheimer's disease/Dementia patients, physiotherapy clinics for older persons, sensitization programmes for children, particularly in schools and colleges, Regional Resource and Training Centres, etc. About 350 NGOs are being supported every year for running and maintaining around 550 projects.

In order to address the increasing demand for care givers, the National Institute of Social Defense (NISD), an autonomous body under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, has been conducting One-Year, Six-Month and One-Month Courses on Geriatric Care. Besides, the Institute also collaborates with reputed institutions for organising short term training programmes for the caregivers.

To ensure effective implementation of the policies and programmes of the Ministry and also to augment the activities of the NISD, the Ministry presently supports 3 Regional Resource Centres (RRTCs) namely, (i) Anugraha, New Delhi, which caters to the requirements of the northern States, (ii) Nightingale Medical Trust, Bangalore, which caters to the requirements of the southern States, and (iii) Integrated Rural Development and Educational Organization (IRDEO) which caters to the requirement of the north eastern States. These RRTCs undertake (i) Training of functionaries of grantee organizations under IPOP and monitor their work; (ii) Advocacy and awareness generation; (iii) Liasion with the concerned State Governments in the field of old age care, with specific reference to the implementation of the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents & Senior Citizens Act, 2007, and the National Policy for Older Persons, 1999 and the other programmes and interventions for the senior citizens; (iv) Maintain a data-base of the institutions working in the field of old age care; and (v) Research and such other functions as the Ministry may assign from time to time.

The need of the hour is to create a caring society, especially for the ageing population with the help of representatives from the Central Ministries and Departments, the State Governments, experts, academicians and many other stakeholders.