CIRCULATE AND CREATE AWARENESS
THE BENEFITS FOR SENIOR CITIZENS IN INDIA
I. Transportation:
Ministry of Road Transport and Highways:
i) Reservation of two seats for senior citizens in front row of the buses of the State Road Transport Undertakings.
ii) Some State Governments are giving fare concession to senior citizens in the State Road Transport Undertaking buses and are introducing Bus Models, which are convenient to the elderly.
Under Delhi Transport Corporation:
1. Special Hire Service: – Apart from the normal services, the Corporation also provides buses to the Citizen of Delhi on Special Hire for marriage parties, picnics, etc.
2. Free/Concessional Passes: – DTC also offers Free Passes to disabled persons, war-widows & their dependents, eminent sport personalities, Freedom Fighters etc. and Concessional Passes to various categories of commuters viz. Students, Senior Citizens, Residents of Resettlement Colonies, Journalists, etc.
For Senior citizens above the age of 60 years, Bus pass for all routes at Rs. 50 per month. Income has to be below Rs. 75000 per year.
Ministry of Railways:
1. Indian Railways provide 30% concession in all classes and trains including Rajdhani/Shatabadi trains for both males and females aged 60 years and above.
2. Indian Railways also have the facility of separate counters for Senior Citizens for purchase/booking/cancellation of tickets.
3. Wheel Chairs for use of older persons are available at all junctions, District Headquarters and other important stations for the convenience of needy persons including the older persons.
4.. Ramps for wheel chairs movement are available at the entry to important stations.
5. Specially designed coaches with provisions of space for wheel chairs, hand rail and specially designed toilet for handicapped persons have been introduced.
Ministry of Civil Aviation:
1. Indian Airlines is providing 50 per cent Senior Citizen Discount on Normal Economy Class fare for all domestic flights to Indian senior citizens who have completed the age of 65 years in the case of male senior citizens and 63 years in the case of female senior citizens subject to certain conditions.
2. Air India is offering discount of 55% to senior citizens of 60 plus on flights to USA, UK and Europe on economy class. Further, Air India has now decided to reduce the age of 60 plus for discount on their domestic routes as well with immediate effect. For Identity card, 2 passport sized photographs have to be submitted along with the form.
3. Sahara Airlines is offering 50% discount on basic fare for travel on its domestic flights only to senior citizens who have attained the age of 62 years. Discount is applicable in economy class only.
4. Kingfisher Airlines offers discount in Business class only for citizens of 65 years or above on sectoral basis. Age proof required.
5. Jetlite offers a discount of 50% on economy class for citizens of 65 years or above. One passport sized photograph required on the form along with age proof.
6. Jet Airways offers discount to senior citizens of 65 years or above.
For availing discount in domestic flights, senior citizens have to fill up a discount form along with a passport sized photograph and Age proof certificate. Jet Airways also provides Senior Citizen I-Card which is available in all ticket counters and requires 2 passport sized photographs and age proof certificate. For the I-Card a very nominal amount is charged.
II. Telecommunications:
i) Faults/complaints of senior citizens are given priority by registering them under senior citizens category with VIP flag, which is a priority category.
ii) Senior citizens are allowed to register telephone connection under N-OYT Special Category, which is a priority category.
iii) MTNL in NCR offers a discount of 25% on Rs. 250 per month Plan. Age limit is 65 years or above.
III. Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution:
i) Under the Antyodaya Scheme, the Below Poverty Line (BPL) families which also include older persons are provided food grains at the rate of 35 kgs. per family per month. The food grains are issued @ Rs.3/- per kg. for rice and Rs.2/- per kg. for wheat. The persons aged 60 years above from the BPL category were given priority for identification.
(ii) Under the Annapoorna Scheme being implemented by the States/UT Administration, 10 kgs. of food grains per beneficiary per month are provided free of cost to those senior citizens who remain uncovered under the old age pension scheme.
iii) Instructions to State Governments for giving priority to the Ration Card holders who are over 60 years of age in Fair Price Shops for issue of rations.
IV. Ministry of Health & Family Welfare:
1. Separate queues for elderly persons in hospitals for registration and clinical examination.
2. Special Clinics, every Sunday between 10 am to 12 noon, for elderly persons available at the following hospitals in New Delhi.
a) Lok Nayak Hospital
b) GTB Hospital
c) Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital
d) Aruna Asafjahan Ali Hospital
e) Sanjay Gandhi Memorial Hospital
f) Dr. Joshi Memorial Hospital
g) Babu Jagjeevan Ram Hospital
h) Ram Rao Tula Memorial Hospital
i) Lal Bahadur Shastri Hospital
The services include health check-ups, operations, treatment of physically invalid, gynecology, ENT and ophthalmology along with pathological and radio therapy facilities.
V. Income Tax (Ministry of Finance):
1. For senior citizens the exemption limit is Rs. 2,50,000 up to which senior citizen pays no income-tax at all. The benefit of higher exemption limit for a senior citizen is available only when a person has completed 60 years of age.
2. The senior citizen should also take full advantage of section 80C of the Income Tax Act, 1961 whereby deduction up to Rs. 1.00 lakh is available for investment by way of insurance premium, repayment of the housing loan or investment in Senior Citizens Savings Scheme as also the Bank Fixed Deposit.
3. Similarly as also the Bank Fixed Deposit. Similarly, the citizen can also take advantage of the Mediclaim Policy. In case senior citizen or any member of his family suffers from serious medical problem of suffers from some disability he can claim certain other deductions under the tax law.
VI. MINISTRY OF SOCIAL & EMPLOYEMENT
1. Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment is the nodal Ministry responsible for welfare of the Senior Citizens. It has announced the National Policy on Older Persons which seeks to assure older persons that their concerns are national concerns and they will not live unprotected, ignored and marginalized. The National Policy aims to strengthen their legitimate place in the society and to help older people to live the last phase of their life with purpose, dignity and peace. The National Policy on Older Persons inter alia visualizes support for financial security, health care and nutrition, shelter, emphasis upon education, training and information needs, provision of appropriate concessions, rebates and discounts etc. to Senior Citizens and special attention to protect and strengthen their legal rights such as to safeguard their life and property. The National Policy on Older Persons confers the status of senior citizen to a person who has attained the age of 60 years.
2. The Ministry is also implementing following schemes for the benefit of Senior Citizens:
(a) An Integrated Programme for Older Persons (Plan Scheme) – This Scheme has been formulated by revising the earlier scheme of “Assistance to Voluntary Organizations for Programme relating to the Welfare of the Aged”. Under this Scheme, financial assistance up to 90% of the project cost is provided to NGOs for establishing and maintaining Old Age Homes, Day Care Centers, Mobile Medicare Units and to provide non-institutional services to older persons.
(b) The Scheme of Assistance to Panchayati Raj Institutions/ Voluntary Organizations/Self Help Groups for Construction of Old Age Homes/Multi-Service Centers for older persons (Non Plan Scheme) – Under this Scheme, one time construction grant for Old Age Homes/Multi-Service Centre is provided to non-governmental organizations on the recommendation of the State Governments/ UT Administrations.
VII. Ministry of Rural Development:
1. Under the National Old Age Pension Scheme, Central Assistance of Rs. 75/- p.m. is granted to destitute older persons above 65 years. This Scheme has been transferred to the State Plan w.e.f. 2002-03.
2. Under the Annapurna Scheme, free food grains (wheat or rice) up to 10 kg. per month are provided to destitute older persons 65 years or above who are otherwise eligible for old age pension but are not receiving it.
Consumer Resources 
Please clarify as to what is meant by age 60 years. Does it mean 60 years running; or, completed 60 years and 61st year running.
Thanks
To my mind, age is always defined as completed years.
Yes. I am 66. Years old I want to know whom I should contact air India for discounted tickets because checked with agents but,they don’t help kindly help Tks
I do not understand what do umean by moderation?
my age is 64 but i am not getting any financial assistance from the maha govt except working journalists pension scheme of Rs 836 /- per month. for the last five yrs. Is it affordable to a retd working journalist after working with a city based print media for the last 23 years? any body will raise the voice against this step-sisterly treatment meted out to a person? p
Why not any provision from Govt of India to Issue Authenticated Sr.Ctzn Id for all Senior Citizens & their different purposes. The Aadhaar Card lots of mistakes. And SrCtzn Passport should not be exceeds more than 15 days of application. Help the old people(Moti Chand Das)
More help is sought to the sr. person in India. the present benefit is not enough. tp tripathi jaunpur
SrCtzens all types of their Licences to be renewed once for all till they alive,without harassing to them . If any SrCtzn needs small Arms for his safety & protection- they should be provided the Arm Licence & with a nominal prices from Arm Factory & Govt Confiscated seized arms etc.
I agree with this reply, srctzn are not expect to missuse but thy keep there saftey.not only in price but lisencing process quick (within 30 working days) to be provided.
My Age is 61 running and i am a farmer. I knew that govt gives pensions to Sr Citizen so where i need to contact for the same..
Iam 62 retired person getting my pension and some int on my FD. Iam a heart patient and a big amount of my income goes to my medicins and checkups but getting no tax rebate and paying tax on my entire income. My request to Finance Ministry is to kindly increase tax slab for seniors from 250000 to 400000 to allow us to live our l8fe a little comfortably. Thanks
I think Income tax benefits for Sr Citizens not updated in the above post. No tax upto 3 lacs and investment up to 1.5 lacs.
HUMAN RIGHT VIOLATION INFLICTED AND PERPETRATED AGAINST THE ERSTWHILE 5512 NOW SURVIVING HARDLY 2700) FOOD DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEES ALL OF MORE THAN 70 YEARS OLD LONGING FOR PENSION PENSION IN THEIR LIFE TIME SINCE MORE THAN A DECADE
Respected Sir,
In our case we had been sending several Grievance petition in the matter of sanction of central government liberalized pension to the left over 5523 foodtransferee employees of whom only about 2700 are alive . The grievance disposal by nodal officer in the Food Department is far from satisfactory for obvious reasons and the matter is being allowed to linger on and it is for time for your good self to interfere and restore the confidence in the pg grievance mechanism of the Central Government. Having failed to get justice I am perforce to knock at the door of each and every Good hear-ted person with the fond hope of getting justice.That was the reason why my exclusive prayer direct to your honor Sir.
Great injustice and human right violation has peen inflicted , rather perpetrated on the erstwhile employees of the Food Department who were transferred en mass to the Food Corporation of India during 1967 when 5512 employees out of them were singled out and denied pension even after the IV pay recommendations according to which all cpf optees be should be brought to Central Government Pension Scheme with effect from 01/01/1986. It is a fact on record that there are hardly 3037 employees all India still alive now out of 5512 ex Central Government Department of Food Employees as per bio data submitted by FCI as early as during 2007-08 to the Food Department each day waiting to see our liberalized pension order before our demise and as we are struggling to meet our day to day life became costlier owing to old age medical care. We are employees of Government of India Food Department surviving +70age who are denied pension even after recommendations of two Parliament committee on petition of 14 and 15 Lok Sabha who had confirmed with records documents,evidence that we were wronged and rightly due for pension.
The unhelpful attitude of the Food Department has already invited comments in report of the Parliament Committee on petitions (14th Lok Sabha) which submitted its recommendations in their 8th report of 25th May 2005 according to which
i) The case of Food transferees is totally unique and different from others and these employees were earlier Central Government Employees
ii) At the time of amendment of FCI Act in 1968 the Minister had assured te House that service conditions of the Food Transferees will not be less favourable than those of Central Government employees
iii) The FC Act was amended in 1976/77 to protect Food Transferees interest and to enable them to exercise pension option
iv) The liberalized pension scheme 1987 based on 4th Central Pay Commission was extended to several organisation formed through acts of parliament and the same should have beene xtended to Food Transferees by amending the FC Act as was done in 1976/77
v) Administrative reasons assigned like c alculations return of cpf etc cannot overide the principle of justice and fair play.
The Committee concluded that the Government should appreciate the fact that the statutory provisions guarnteen certain set of service conditions in an act passed by the parliament cannot be ignored totally and the exedutive orders issued concerning pay and pension cannot be interpreted in a manner that violate the letter and spirit of an Act passed by the Parliament. As a follow up Food Department had at the fag end of tenure of previous UPA Government was pleased to recommend to the Cabinet for amending the Section 12 A of the Food Corporations Act 1964 to enable the food transferees to opt for liberalized pension scheme of the Central Government which was made available to the Central Government employees after the IV Pay Commission recommendation.
Soon after election the NDA government saw merit in our case and submitted Cabinet Note dated 12/3/15 (reiterating the earlier UPA Cabinet Note dated 20/02/14 (which could not be implemented due to General Elections then). However PMO has returned the Cabinet note and advised the Food Dept followed up with letters dated 9/9/15 18/9/15 for issuing executive order (more so when the Pension Ministry’s 1987 circular is already available but not implemented by the Food Department) in consultation Pension Welfare department rather Amendment to 12 A of FCI Act for delivering quick justice. The Food Department sent the file to the Department of Legal deliberately posing the issue whether the Food Department has to amend the FCI Act 1964 (meaning thereby the PMO has not examined the cabinet note properly ) or issue an Executive orders in order to give an option of central pension to the retired food tranferees who are under CPF . It is but natural that Department of Legal affairs opined that the Food Department can do amendment to section 12 A of the FCI Act 1964 as required as though the Food Department itself is fully competent to issue amendment . When it was already decided by PMO for issuing executive order the Department had posed question whether Food Department should go in for Amendment of FCI Act which is contrary to the spirit of PMO directives. In the normal course the Food Department ought to have referred the draft executive order as suggested by PMO and Pension department for legal vetting.
Therefore the Department of Food had acted smart in its negative interpretation to violate the letter and spirit under which the PMO directive was issued for issuing executive orders. Therefore Food Department had shown scant regards to PMO directives.
The Food Department now trying to put the blame for the delay on the Finance Ministry where as it is on record that the Honorable Finance Minister had accorded Finance Department of Expenditure Department approval vide its Memorandum No.25(3)/EV/205 dated 30/12/14 as requested by the Food Ministry OM No.H-11013/2/2011-FCIII dated 5th November 2014 and in the name of finance called for big list of details from the FCI Headquarters. The FCI Headquarters have called for details from Zonal offices and Regional offices (without collecting details for Headquarters staff). The Zonal offices and Regional offices had cooly ignored the directives of FCI Headquarters similar to scant regard shown by Food Department for the PMO directives. Such is the functioning and system working in the Food Department and Food Corporations.
Even though the Food Department employees were transferred to the Food Corporation of India retrospectively from 1st March 1969 and the option were required to be exercised on or before 01/09/1969 this could not be done due to physical imposibility since the orders were issued only after October 1972 and calling for option became infructuous . It deserves to be noted that only to overcome this difficulty Section 4(A) to Section 12 A of FCI Act was incorporated through an amendment. Accordingly the option exercised by the employees after October 1972 in consonance with the provisions of such Section 4(A) to Section 12 A of FCI Act was only option and no further option was envisaged or given by the employee.
Most importantly, the OM dated 01/05/87 issued by the Department of Pension and Pensioners welfare clearly laid down that the Food transferees are required to be covered automatically under the pension scheme of 1/5/87 and only those who wish to be covered under CPF scheme had to exercise the options in favour of CPF i.e. in the absence of any option, the Food Transferees are automatically brought under the scheme. Further the aforesaid OM mandated that the administrative ministries should issue similar orders in respect of CPF beneficiaries in consultation with the Department of Pension and Pensioners Welfare, but; the Department of Food and Public Distribution did not implement these orders in respect of Food Transferees on wrong notion that they had already exercised option in favour of CPF which is in contravention of the orders of the provision of OM dated 1/5.87.
It is important to note that the very purpose of incorporation of Section 12 A and Section 4 A to section 12 A of FCI act was only to safeguard the service conditions of the Food Transferees of FCI and also to ensure that their service conditions would in no way become less favorable than their counterparts in the Government Service. However it is seen that the same very provisions is sought to be used against the food tranferees for denying their dues. Such unhelpful and inhuman attitude on the part of Food Department officials has already been commented by the Parliament Committee on petitions as already indicated .
Though it is the policy of the Central Government to simplify procedures to cut delays in processing the disbursal of pension and retirement benefits in our case the matter is delayed over three decades . Therefore we feel myself pushed out of bounds as my pension is delayed or denied just on technicalities though we had served the Department of Food and Food Corporation of India from its inception and retired without pension and we have been living without pension over decades. we have made umpteen representations through grievance portal but have been receiving same reply that the Government is considering the amendment to FCI Act , in consultation with the FCI. There is suspicion among st a section or our over 70 years old plus whose number is diminished day by day that there appears to be a hidden agenda to delay and deny us pension as these people are demising day by day they could give natural burial to our claim. If that will be the case why not Central Government give mercy killing to us instead of showing lip sympathy to us? Is it not inhuman to treat the elderly senior citizens like this Sir?
The NHRC initiatives in the matter of retrial benefits as a human right has been elaborately described in their first edition of human rights commission dated 10th December 2014. This book not only chronicles the Commissions exposition of retrial benefits as human right but also extols its unique undertakings to alleviate the suffering of innumerable families as bereft of their rightful dues thus leading the nodal agencies of the Indian bureaucratic system towards time deliverance of retrial dues and benefits. According to this release , the commission in numerous cases has observed that there was inordinate delay in the payment of the retirement dues to the employees by the authorities. In number of cases payments were made even after a lapse of more than three decades that too after the intervention of the commission. The perpetrators of these violations came out with untenable excuses for non payment of the pension and other retirement benefits to the beneficiaries. According to this release the National Human right Commission reads the denial of retirement benefits as a violation of the right to life and dignity and thus leading the country’s nodal agencies in the understanding that pension may be the only source of livelihood and means of survival for a family hence non payment of these benefits has devastating effects on their lives. If these retirement benefits are not made to them the very survival of these retired employees or next of kin and /or family members of the deceased employees comes under question of blatant violation of their human right. The commissions intervention has been endeavored to realize the fundamental objectives enshrined in article 21 of the constitution of India. The Pensioners and the family of the deceased employee have a right to live with dignity and non payment or delayed payment of the pensioner benefits he/they get after retirement/death is violation of his/their right to live with dignity. The commissions intervention itself in most of the cases results in payment of of retrial benefits including pension whereas in other cases it esquires into entire matter and recommends payment of the dues in addition to compensation for damages to the victim for non payment or delayed payment of the dues and recommend disciplinary action under section 16 of PHR Act 1993 recommends payment of interest on delayed payment
I submit that land mark judgement delivered by the Supreme Court of India has not been taken into account according to which Pension is a right and the payment of it does not depend upon the discretion of the Government. Pension is governed by rules and a Government Servant coming within those rules is entitled to claim pension and the government CANNOT take a plea of financial burden to deny legitimate dues of the pensioners and the Government SHOULD AVOID unwarranted litigation and not to encourage any litigation for the sake of litigation.
As already briefly indicated the 5512 (of whom only about 2700 are alive now ) and their family members of the erstwhile food department employees are victim of human right violations which is perpetrated and they are demising day by day not cared for.
In view of foresoing facts, we pray unto thee to kindly be pleased to consider our plight and sufferings and use your good offices with a view to expedite sanction of our Government pension so that those surviving food transferees can see their pension in their life time they mostly being senior citizens of 73 years old.
Yours faithfully,
P. Sadagopan
57 New Raju Street, West Mambalam
Chennai 600033
Tamilnadu State
05/10/2016
9884717943/04424899133
I am a widow for 30 years and a senior citizen born on 19th January, 1948, I want to know what benefits I am entitled from the Government of India living in this country for 69 years, besides have lost my entire family am alone and still working to survive. Please inform me about benefits which should be due to me as am urgently in need of help. How long does one expect me to work ? Give me contact nos. to attain my benefits. Thank you.