The National Human Rights Commission has sought an action-taken report from the Union Social Development and Empowerment Department on the neglect of senior citizens in Odisha.
Odisha-based civil society organisation Human Right Watch secretary Sangita Swain’s petition on May 5, 2017 stated that there are around 300 Government run old age homes covering 648 districts in India. The Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizen Act, 2007 mandates an old age home in each district in India and also provide penal provisions for the children and relatives who abandon senior citizens.
There are only 30 old age homes in Odisha which are nor adequate for the elderly and the senior citizens in the State. The Government of India doesn’t even spend 0.91 percent of its GDP on its elderly. This violates human rights due to inaction by the public authority, the petitioner stated.
Swain prayed to take criminal action against the children and relatives abandoning senior citizens, take immediate steps to establish old age home in all districts of all States in India to provide proper facilities according to the Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizen Act 2007, take disciplinary action against the responsible public authorities for failure in taking lawful action, the petitioner stated.
Taking cognisance of the petition, the NHRC sought an ATR from the Social Justice and Empowerment Department within eight weeks.