Joint Action Committee (JAC) Press Conference was held on 8th June 2022 at Mumbai Marathi Patrakar Sangh, Mumbai.
Silver Shakti!!!!!!!!
To make the 'Silver Voices' heard loud and clear and to make the 'Silver Presence' in society graceful and dignified; we have formed the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of various Organizations, NGOs working for Senior Citizens, researchers and academicians dedicated to the cause of elderly in Mumbai. The Committee will strive to work with the BMC and various Political Parties to mainstream the special needs and demands of senior citizens. We demand all Political parties to include issues of Senior Citizens in their Election Manifesto, as they are not only an important vote bank but also the important stakeholders with an estimated 25% of the Voting Population. If the Political Parties and Leaders fail to meet our Demands, we as the Powerful Vote bank will be forced to use NOTA in the upcoming BMC Elections.
A report released by the Ministry of Statistics, GOI in March 2019 said that the number of citizens over the age of 60 jumped by 35.5 per cent — from 7.6 crore in 2001 to 10.3 crore in 2011. In the upcoming elections, this population will be a major factor in deciding who comes to power. In Maharashtra, Senior citizens form around 10% of state population, which comes to an estimated 1.30 crore of Maharashtra’s and in Mumbai itself constitutes approximately 15 lakhs.
The right to vote is the foundation of any democracy. The vote represents the voice of people and is therefore a powerful tool to exercise to bring about a change in their city and their country as a whole. Senior Citizen are Committed Voters and understand the importance of voting and engage in the process to become egalitarianism warriors in their own communities. Issues such as health care, medical facilities, prices of medicines, pensions, Shelter, retirement schemes and transportation, special attention for poor and homeless, will be upper most in the minds of the older people. To make sure that their needs are met and concerns are heard is the very need of the hour.
Based on constitutional and legal provisions, Government of India and Maharashtra state government has formulated various policies and devised various programmes for the elders including National Policy for the Older Persons 1999 and Maharashtra Senior Citizens Policy 2013 and subsequently in 2018. However, these have remained only on Paper. After advocacy and constant struggle by Senior Citizens Originations from 2010 to 2013, The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on 5th August 2013 through its Resolution no. 622 cleared the Senior Citizens Policy in its general body meeting, which is first such policy by any Municipal Corporation in the country. This policy, which includes the provision of day care facilities and recreation grounds for them in every municipal ward as also medical helpline services and amenities in open spaces, was announced on 2013. Further benefits included in the policy are, dedicated spaces for senior citizens in large housing complexes, library with books on spirituality and health, and ramps, railings at public toilets. Senior citizens would also be provided specialized healthcare at select civic hospitals for hypertension, diabetes, loss of vision and other ailments. For the first phase of implementation, BMC had agreed to form a committee headed by the then Mayor Sunil Prabhu.
But it is with great regret and disappointment we note that a pittance of the expected work has been done by BMC after announcement of this Policy. A few Day care facilities and a few Nana Nani parks have been set up only at the whims and fancies of the Councilors. To make it worse there is no Budgetary provision has been made for the implementation of the Policy. It is shameful to state that an RTI filed for details of expenditure has received no response.
Based on the recommendations of the United Nations to which India is a signatory and the policies for senior citizens to which Central and State Governments have committed, the JAC demands the following:
I Finance and Planning
a) Make a definite budgetary provision for the welfare and security of elders in the Senior Citizens policy, allocate 10% of BMC budget to Senior Citizens Policy
b) Raise CSR funds for effective Implementation of initiatives for elders
c) Corporators need to spend minimum 10% of their allocated funds for the welfare of Senior Citizens
d) Form ‘Senior Citizens Policy Committee’ at HQ as well as at all the 24 administrative wards for Planning and Implementation. Senior Citizens Policy Committee’ to meet regularly for monitoring and evaluating implementation and progress of initiatives.
e) Permanent Office for ‘BMC Senior Citizens Bhavan’ at a central, convenient accessible location.
f) Appointment of a Nodal Officer at the rank of Joint Commissioner/ Deputy Commissioner to monitor the progress of the implementation of the policies and programmes as well as to address the grievances of the senior citizens
g) The Community Development Officer (C.D.O.) / Social Worker at BMC to work on Seniors program, projects awareness, planning, implementation
II Health Care and Nutrition - Health care should be affordable and accessible to all senior citizens
a) Free medical treatment for all senior citizens at all Government Hospitals and Primary Health Center
b) Establishment of a Geriatric ward at every Government hospital. Appoint Geriatric Expert / Doctors in all BMC hospitals
c) 'Mahatma Jyotirao Phule Jan Arogya Yojana' to be implemented at all hospitals and specially for Elders with no documents and homeless
d) Free / Subsidized Medicines / Generic Medicine to be made available
e) Reserve 10% bed for Geriatric population in private hospitals / nursing homes
f) Introduce the WHO Recommended Adult Vaccination Programme. Priority to senior citizens in all Vaccinations and Health Care initiatives
g) OPD special section / desk for Seniors / Display of Notice board at every hospitals of available facilities for Seniors
h) Free / Subsidized Diagnosis at Government hospitals and clinics
i) MMC (Mobile Medical Clinic) for elders living in poor communities and elders below BPL
j) Wellness and Prevention program like Yoga, Alternative Therapies, AYUSH, Health camps for Seniors
k) Mental Health Screening in collaboration with BMC Hospitals
l) MID Day Meal to be extended to poor seniors. To initiate GOI POSHAN Abhiyaan / Shiv Bhojan like scheme
III Shelter and Welfare:
a) Multipurpose Senior Citizens Full Day Care Centre
b) Dementia Day Care Centre
c) Respite Stay Centre
d) Homeless Elders Night Shelter
e) Policy for protection of Senior citizens during natural and manmade disasters
f) Specific spaces and facilities to be reserved in Development Control and Promotion Regulations (DCPR), SRA and MHADA for Senior Citizens - Day Care Centres
IV Protection of life and property of Senior Citizens
a) Legal Aid Cell to work on issues and problems faced by the elders
b) Special concession in Water and Property tax for Old Age Homes and Seniors Day Care Centers
c) Provision to establish BMC Retired person's special cell
d) Involve NSS and Civil Defense officers and volunteers for Safety and Security of Seniors
e) Special Call Center for Senior Citizens issues
V Accessibility, transport and Age friendly environment
a) Application of WHO Global Age-friendly Cities Guidelines to city planning
b) Accessible, affordable and safe public transport
c) Age-friendly driving conditions and parking facilities
d) Age-friendly buildings, pavements and walkways, safe pedestrian crossings and adequate rest areas
e) Affordable, well-designed and safe housing
f) Auto, Taxi, Water Transport to be sensitize towards Seniors
g) Special Concession and Travel arrangement for Senior Citizens in BMC Buses
h) Age Friendly, Accessible Public Washroom and Sanitation
VI Capacity Building and Visibility
a) Training of Caregivers, Para Professionals, Medical professionals
b) Mandatory Celebration of Days of Senior Citizens : 15th June World Elder Abuse Awareness Day; 21st September World Alzheimer's Day and 1st October World Elders Day
c) Training and Sensitization of Senior Citizens Associations towards formation, management, of Trust / Society and various program and schemes of BMC
d) To give visibility to BMC Senior Citizens program and projects through Print, Audio Visual and social media
e) To strengthen research and documentation in social gerontology
We the Senior Citizens of this City, State and Country are Responsible Citizens; we have wisdom, experience and time, we are asset to the Society, we are always willing to help government and authorities for welfare of society at large, we need Independence, Freedom, Security and Dignity; we can’t be ignored or neglected any more. We expect that we will see the importance of senior citizens and their demands in the election manifesto of your party and your candidates.
JAC Spokespersons for Coordination:
Dr. Rekha Bhatkhande - Spokespersons
Vijay Aundhe - Spokespersons
Prakash Borgaonkar - Spokespersons
Adv. Nirmala Samant Prabhavalkar - Spokesperson
Sailesh Mishra - Coordinator
LIST OF JAC MEMBERS:
1. Adhata Trust
2. All India Bank Retirees Federation
3. All India Central Government Pensioners Association
4. All India Retired Insurance Employees Federation
5. All India Retired Reserve Bank Employee Association
6. Brihan Mumbai Pensioners Association
7. Brihan Mumbai Retired Employees Association
8. Center for Life Long Learning , TISS
9. Centre for the Study of Social Change (RRTC Mumbai)
10. College of Social Work ( Autonomous) Nirmala Niketan
11. Dignity Foundation
12. Dilasa Kendra of Shushrusha Citizens Cooperative Hospital, Mumbai
13. FESCOM
14. General Insurance Pensioners, All India Federation
15. GIC Pensioners Association
16. Help Age India
17. Indian Association of Retired persons (IARP) Mumbai
18. Money Life Foundation
19. MTNL Pensioners Workers Associations
20. Silver Inning Foundation
21. Sophia College (AUTONOMOUS)
22. The Family Welfare Agency
