There are several welfare schemes for all Below Poverty Line
Senior Citizens. The procedure for inclusion of name in the category of Below
Poverty Line is very cumbersome. Planning Commission of India vide their letter
dt 4-9-08 have advised that this is done
as per Expert Group Method from the large sample survey data on house hold
consumer expenditure conducted by the National Sample Survey Organization using
the Consumer Price Index of Agricultural Labourers for rural poverty lines and
Consumer Index for Industrial Workers for urban poverty lines. All-India
poverty line for 2004-05 on the basis of expenditure-consumption data collected
from 30 day recall period for all items work out to Rs 356.30 for rural &
Rs 538.60 for urban poor. Each State has different figures and all-India
figures are weighted average of the state-wise ratios.
Indira Gandhi National Old
Age Pension (IGNOAPS): This Pension is now granted to all Senior
Citizens of 65 & above belonging to a house hold below the poverty line and
not limited to destitutes only, as earlier. Revised Scheme is formally
launched on 19-11-07
by Prime Minister. The contribution of Central Government is Rs 200 per
beneficiary p.m. and minimum Rs 200 from the State. Some States are giving
more. Pension is to be credited, where feasible, in to a Post Office or Public
Sector Bank account of the beneficiary for 3 months with permission to withdraw
every month only one month’s pension.
Sanjay Gandhi Niradhar Anudan Yojna of Maharashtra:
The destitute Senior Citizens under 65 shall get Rs 500 p. m., if family income
is less than Rs 21000 p.a. If there is more than one beneficiary, the amount
shall be Rs 750 p.m. The beneficiary has to apply in prescribed form with
certificates for age, income, residential proof for 15 years, not staying in
any Vrudhashram and not getting any monthly allowance through any other scheme
etc and for being destitute.
Under the revised scheme of IGNOAPS, 1.6 crore Senior
Citizens shall be getting benefit. 30% of Senior Citizens are below poverty
line and as such about 3 crore are required to be covered under this scheme.
The present age limit from 65 should be reduced to 60 and condition of
inclusion in list of families below poverty line must be removed.
Indira Awaas Yojna:
This scheme was introduced in 1985-86 and provides houses free of cost to below
poverty line BPL S C/S T families(40%), physically & mentally
challenged(3%) and non
S C /S T BPL house holds staying in rural areas. This is
given for new houses as well as conversion of kucha houses in to pucca ones. Cost
of the new house is limited to Rs 35000 in plain areas and Rs 38500 in
hilly/difficult areas and for conversion Rs 10000 to be financed by Central and
State Governments in ratio of 75/25.
Swarnajayanti Gram
Swarozgar Yojna: Introduced since April, 99, this scheme provides
sustainable income to Rural Poor and BPL families. Under this scheme,
credit-cum-subsidy is provided for self-employment, skill development etc. It
covers all aspects of Self-Employment like organization of self help groups,
training, credit technology, infrastructure & marketing. 4-5 Activities are
earmarked for a particular Block with approval of Panchayat Samiti. This is
financed in ratio of 75/25 by Centre & state.
Jawahar Gram Samrudhi
Yojna: This is the restructured, streamlined & comprehensive
version of erstwhile Jawahar Rozgar Yojna, designed to improve quality of life
of rural BPL poor. Under this scheme, a demand driven community village
infrastructure including durable assets at the village level are created to
enable poor to increase the opportunities for sustained employment and
generation of supplementary employments.
National Family Benefit
Scheme (NFBS): Under this Scheme, Rs 10000 is given to a BPL family
on the death of a primary bread winner between the ages of 18-64 years. This
amount should be increased considerably.
In addition to above, all BPL Senior Citizens are entitled
for many other facilities/benefits notified separately for all Senior Citizens
in general.
