Senior Citizen's Bill, a question on its significance
This monsoon session of the parliament will be witness to one of the momentous bills, The Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Bill, 2007. But, the issue is, in a society, which is emotionally frail, will such a bill be noteworthy.
The country will soon be witness to a landmark bill being passed during the monsoon session of the Parliament. The bill if cleared will seek to provide a life of dignity for those in the twilight of their lives.
Fast paced lives coupled with an urge to make money instantly for a luxurious living have left little space for many of the urban city dwellers to follow the values of joint family system that India had once boasted of.
A ghastly incident, which made headlines in all the national dailies recently, of a 75-year-old woman dumped in a garbage, must have shackled many.
Chinnammal Palaniappan, paralyzed was found lying in a heap of rotting garbage by a couple in Erode in Tamil Nadu. Palaniappan alleged that her youngest daughter and her grandsons decided to do away with her as they no more wanted to take the burden of the old lady.
Home for the elderly and senior citizens are coming up in every nook and cranes of the country as present generation finds it difficult to bear the responsibility of their elderly parents. There are also many instances where aged parents are used for taking care of their grandchildren and other household chores.
The bill, which is soon to be passed, will penalize the guilty with a jail term of three months or a fine of Rs 5,000 or both for children who refuse to ensure a life of dignity for their elders.
The Bill, piloted by social justice ministry, provides for an inexpensive and speedy system where old persons can plead the administration to seek maintenance from their offspring.
Senior citizens however are divided on the issue as to how significantly will the bill address such issues.
According to Sudarshan Arora, a senior citizen activist, there will be a considerable amount of change… at least in a scenario where though people talk of Indian values, instances are there where children beat up their parents.
“The bill will bring about 25 per cent change in the scenario at least as I see. I have seen the worst of scenario in Delhi itself, where parents are beaten up by the children for not signing off the property in their children’s name. Many of these children do keep their parents with them but in very deplorable conditions. We had to seek the help of police in one such case to rescue an elderly couple in our area. So I am positive that this bill will bring about a difference,” said Sudarshan Arora, a senior citizen herself who is fighting for the cause of the senior citizens in the national capital.
But many elderly citizens feel, no parents will go to the court complaining about their own child, whatever worse situation they may be going through.
“See yes, there will certainly be a difference with the enactment of the bill, there is no doubt about that but tell me one thing in the Indian context which parent would want his/her children to be penalized? First of all very few people will seek the help of law in such cases as no one would like to see their children imprisoned. The parents would prefer to keep living at dire situations rather than knocking at the door of the law,” said P K Roy, a senior citizen.
A cursory collection of views from across the country revealed that elderly citizens here could be divided into three categories.
Firstly, those who have made or inherited enough wealth for themselves and their children sending or not sending money is of no worry to them. The second group comprises of people who fall in the “happy” category where the children take up the responsibility of their parents. The third category again comprises of those individuals who are from the middle or lower income group and are equally unfortunate as they are left behind by their progeny to fend for themselves at such a ripe age.
In the above context, the significance of the bill will have to be re-looked into as those who ought to seek justice in the court of law are so tired of taking care of their day-to-day activities that they will have very little stamina left to fight for their right.
The need of the hour is increased awareness, sensitivity and change of attitude among today’s youth. Apart from taking pride and studying the routine chapters in school on Indian values, what requires to be inculcated among the students is practical implementation of such values.
Highlights of the Bill to be passed soon (courtesy: Helpage India)
Fast paced lives coupled with an urge to make money instantly for a luxurious living have left little space for many of the urban city dwellers to follow the values of joint family system that India had once boasted of.
A ghastly incident, which made headlines in all the national dailies recently, of a 75-year-old woman dumped in a garbage, must have shackled many.
Chinnammal Palaniappan, paralyzed was found lying in a heap of rotting garbage by a couple in Erode in Tamil Nadu. Palaniappan alleged that her youngest daughter and her grandsons decided to do away with her as they no more wanted to take the burden of the old lady.
Home for the elderly and senior citizens are coming up in every nook and cranes of the country as present generation finds it difficult to bear the responsibility of their elderly parents. There are also many instances where aged parents are used for taking care of their grandchildren and other household chores.
The bill, which is soon to be passed, will penalize the guilty with a jail term of three months or a fine of Rs 5,000 or both for children who refuse to ensure a life of dignity for their elders.
The Bill, piloted by social justice ministry, provides for an inexpensive and speedy system where old persons can plead the administration to seek maintenance from their offspring.
Senior citizens however are divided on the issue as to how significantly will the bill address such issues.
According to Sudarshan Arora, a senior citizen activist, there will be a considerable amount of change… at least in a scenario where though people talk of Indian values, instances are there where children beat up their parents.
“The bill will bring about 25 per cent change in the scenario at least as I see. I have seen the worst of scenario in Delhi itself, where parents are beaten up by the children for not signing off the property in their children’s name. Many of these children do keep their parents with them but in very deplorable conditions. We had to seek the help of police in one such case to rescue an elderly couple in our area. So I am positive that this bill will bring about a difference,” said Sudarshan Arora, a senior citizen herself who is fighting for the cause of the senior citizens in the national capital.
But many elderly citizens feel, no parents will go to the court complaining about their own child, whatever worse situation they may be going through.
“See yes, there will certainly be a difference with the enactment of the bill, there is no doubt about that but tell me one thing in the Indian context which parent would want his/her children to be penalized? First of all very few people will seek the help of law in such cases as no one would like to see their children imprisoned. The parents would prefer to keep living at dire situations rather than knocking at the door of the law,” said P K Roy, a senior citizen.
A cursory collection of views from across the country revealed that elderly citizens here could be divided into three categories.
Firstly, those who have made or inherited enough wealth for themselves and their children sending or not sending money is of no worry to them. The second group comprises of people who fall in the “happy” category where the children take up the responsibility of their parents. The third category again comprises of those individuals who are from the middle or lower income group and are equally unfortunate as they are left behind by their progeny to fend for themselves at such a ripe age.
In the above context, the significance of the bill will have to be re-looked into as those who ought to seek justice in the court of law are so tired of taking care of their day-to-day activities that they will have very little stamina left to fight for their right.
The need of the hour is increased awareness, sensitivity and change of attitude among today’s youth. Apart from taking pride and studying the routine chapters in school on Indian values, what requires to be inculcated among the students is practical implementation of such values.
Highlights of the Bill to be passed soon (courtesy: Helpage India)
The Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Bill, 2007 seeks to make it a legal obligation for children and heirs to provide maintenance to senior citizens. It also permits state governments to establish old age homes in every district.
Senior citizens who are unable to maintain themselves shall have the right to apply to a maintenance tribunal seeking a monthly allowance from their children or heirs.
State governments may set up maintenance tribunals in every sub-division to decide the level of maintenance. Appellate tribunals may be established at the district level.
State governments shall set the maximum monthly maintenance allowance. The Bill caps the maximum monthly allowance at Rs 10,000 per month.
Punishment for not paying the required monthly allowance shall be Rs 5,000 or up to three months imprisonment or both.
Drawbacks of the bill:
The bill nowhere mentions of any clause on the maintenance or tribunal of a childless couple or senior citizens who are unmarried.
The bill does not address the needs of those parents who do not possess any property.
posted by Miles to walk before I sleep | 2:23 AM
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