Press Release

New Delhi, 7th January, 2014

The National Human Rights Commission has observed that some of the State Governments/Union Territories are not implementing the provisions of 'Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007' in its true spirit leading to violation of human rights.
The Commission has also observed that there is a need to have a full time officer in the capacity of a Maintenance Officer at Sub-Division level, as the officers who are entrusted with the work relating to senior citizens have no time to deal with it.
Taking suo motu cognizance of the issue, the Commission has issued notices to the Chief Secretaries of all the States and Administrators of all Union Territories, returnable in six weeks, calling for their reports on the following points:
i) Whether the State Governments/Union Territories have constituted Maintenance Tribunals as required u/s 7(1) of the said Act?
ii) Whether the State Governments/Union Territories have constituted Appellate Tribunal as required in Section 15 of the Act?
iii) Whether the State Governments/Union Territories have established Old Age Homes as required u/s 19 of the Act?
iv) Whether the State Governments/Union Territories have ensured medical support for the senior citizens as required u/s 20(1)(2)(5) of the Act?
The Act provides that the Governments shall establish Old Age Homes for the maintenance of the indigent senior citizens. It also provides that the Governments shall ensure that a Government Hospital or a Hospital funded fully or partially by it shall provide beds for all senior citizens as far as possible for treatment of chronic, terminal and degenerative disease.

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