Formation of national association of older persons is needed
An autonomous registered National Association of Older Persons (NAOPS) will be established to mobilise senior citizens, to articulate their interests, also to promote and undertake programmes and activities for their well-being.
AS PER para 96 of National Policy of Older Persons (NPOP), an autonomous registered national association of older persons (NAOPS) will be established to mobilise senior citizens, to articulate their interests, also to promote and undertake programmes and activities for their well-being and to advise the government on all matters relating to the older persons.
The association will have national, state and district level offices and will choose its own bearers. The government will provide financial support to establish the national and state level offices while the district level offices will be established by the association from its own resources which might be raised through membership, subscriptions, donations and other admissible means. The government will also provide financial assistance to the national and state level offices to cover both recurring as well as non-recurring administrative costs for a period of 15 years and thereafter, the association is expected to be financially self-sufficient.
However, no action was taken in 11 years by the government to establish such an association, resulting in non-implementation of NPOP, thereby, resulting in abuse of senior citizens of the country by government and appointing review committee now.
Review Committee in their meeting on March 19, 2010, has observed as under-
The need for national association of older persons was expressed with a serious deliberation on implementation. But the committee observed the following as one of the gaps in the implementation. According to the prior decision, an autonomous registered association of older persons was to be set up to mobilise senior citizens, articulate their interests, promote and undertake programmes etc for their well-being and to advise government on all matters relating to older persons. Government was to provide financial support for 15 years.
As it is observed from above discussion that the formation of national association is absolutely necessary and must be established as soon as possible. Let us discuss how to establish such association with elected/chosen office bearers at national level. We have different types of organisations working for welfare of senior citizens.
Organisations like Help Age India, Dignity Foundation, Harmony Foundation and the likes are doing very good work for senior citizens having their own management/trust etc with no elected office bearers from amongst senior citizens.
All India Senior Citizens Confederation (AISCCON) have elected office bearers and have affiliated associations of senior citizens in 20 states and three Union Territories and likes. There may be similar confederations like that of pensioners and other senior citizens. All have to come under one umbrella for forming national association acceptable to government and all sections of senior citizens.
Organisations like Help Age India, Dignity Foundation, Harmony Foundation and the likes can be given special status and representation of advisors, patrons etc and national association from amongst the existing associations of senior citizens should be formed on top-priority basis.
National Alliance of Senior Citizens Associations of India (NASCAI)was formed on November 13, 2007, along with All India Senior Citizens Confederation (AISCCON), INFA, Mumbai, All India Association of Senior Citizens Forum (Respect Age), Delhi; Forum for Senior Citizens of India, Goa; Indian Retired Persons Organisations, Calcutta; RREWA, Gurgaon and many state level federations like:
FAPSCO, FESCOM, Federation of Senior Citizens Forums of Karnataka, TN federation under formation, a parallel federation to FAPSCO under formation, etc. These organisations represent eleven states. All national level organisations including Pensioners` Confederation can come forward to join and strengthen NASCAI as one umbrella organisation of all senior citizens of the country for proper and strong representation to the concerned authorities.
Each state/UT can start the process of establishing state association of older persons (SAOP) by uniting all federations/associations under one umbrella in terms of above provisions, keeping in view matters relevant to welfare of senior citizens of their area. Similarly, big cities/towns having more than one organisation should also start coming all under one umbrella. This will facilitate easy and smooth formation of NASCAI. Such one umbrella organisations at all levels shall be for purpose of mobilising senior citizens, articulate their interests, promote and undertake programmes and activities for their well being and to advise the government on all matters relating to the older persons and if necessary, allow all organisations joining to continue their independent existence, if they feel so and desire to continue their activities.
However, no action was taken in 11 years by the government to establish such an association, resulting in non-implementation of NPOP, thereby, resulting in abuse of senior citizens of the country by government and appointing review committee now.
Review Committee in their meeting on March 19, 2010, has observed as under-
The need for national association of older persons was expressed with a serious deliberation on implementation. But the committee observed the following as one of the gaps in the implementation. According to the prior decision, an autonomous registered association of older persons was to be set up to mobilise senior citizens, articulate their interests, promote and undertake programmes etc for their well-being and to advise government on all matters relating to older persons. Government was to provide financial support for 15 years.
As it is observed from above discussion that the formation of national association is absolutely necessary and must be established as soon as possible. Let us discuss how to establish such association with elected/chosen office bearers at national level. We have different types of organisations working for welfare of senior citizens.
Organisations like Help Age India, Dignity Foundation, Harmony Foundation and the likes are doing very good work for senior citizens having their own management/trust etc with no elected office bearers from amongst senior citizens.
All India Senior Citizens Confederation (AISCCON) have elected office bearers and have affiliated associations of senior citizens in 20 states and three Union Territories and likes. There may be similar confederations like that of pensioners and other senior citizens. All have to come under one umbrella for forming national association acceptable to government and all sections of senior citizens.
Organisations like Help Age India, Dignity Foundation, Harmony Foundation and the likes can be given special status and representation of advisors, patrons etc and national association from amongst the existing associations of senior citizens should be formed on top-priority basis.
National Alliance of Senior Citizens Associations of India (NASCAI)was formed on November 13, 2007, along with All India Senior Citizens Confederation (AISCCON), INFA, Mumbai, All India Association of Senior Citizens Forum (Respect Age), Delhi; Forum for Senior Citizens of India, Goa; Indian Retired Persons Organisations, Calcutta; RREWA, Gurgaon and many state level federations like:
FAPSCO, FESCOM, Federation of Senior Citizens Forums of Karnataka, TN federation under formation, a parallel federation to FAPSCO under formation, etc. These organisations represent eleven states. All national level organisations including Pensioners` Confederation can come forward to join and strengthen NASCAI as one umbrella organisation of all senior citizens of the country for proper and strong representation to the concerned authorities.
Each state/UT can start the process of establishing state association of older persons (SAOP) by uniting all federations/associations under one umbrella in terms of above provisions, keeping in view matters relevant to welfare of senior citizens of their area. Similarly, big cities/towns having more than one organisation should also start coming all under one umbrella. This will facilitate easy and smooth formation of NASCAI. Such one umbrella organisations at all levels shall be for purpose of mobilising senior citizens, articulate their interests, promote and undertake programmes and activities for their well being and to advise the government on all matters relating to the older persons and if necessary, allow all organisations joining to continue their independent existence, if they feel so and desire to continue their activities.
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I plan to gather older persons and establish an association first in Sri Lanka and after that in all countries. All the best.
Skype: sunimal.alles
The article is very well written and depicts the current scenario of diverse organisations. Unification of all such organisations under onr single umbrella is the need of the hour. However as the central govt recognised all India body will get huge financial support for many years, there is obviously a fight as to who this should be. HelpAge, AISCCON and NASCAI are looking in different directions. Not a healthy sign for senior citizen community.
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