– M Rafi Ahmed
Prophet Muhammad ﷺ taught us to show mercy to the young and respect our elders. This teaching builds stronger communities and preserves dignity. وَيُوَقِّرُ كَبِيرَنَا “And respect to our elders.” (Tirmidhi) This hadith reflects the value Islam places on experience, wisdom, and age. Great to infer that God’s Own Country becomes the first State in India to establish an exclusive ‘Senior Citizens’ Commission’.
Government sources pointed out that the new body will look into issues like neglect, abuse, and the rights of elderly people. Moreover, it will also help in making policies and giving support for their welfare and rehabilitation. This new entity comes in the wake of India witnessing a silent crisis with elderly population (aged 60 and above) facing untold hardships more so at the hands of their own family members.
Statistics reveal that elders constitute 10% of the total population. This figure is projected to double to nearly 20% – or 34.7 crore people – by 2050. Sadly, the report brings to fore the economic insecurity, eroding family support and glaring healthcare gaps. These findings come from a report, ‘India’s Ageing Society: The Landscape Today’ by Give Grants, which draws on data from the India Ageing Report 2023 (jointly prepared by UNFPA India and the International Institute for Population Sciences), along with research from NITI Aayog and the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation. Notably, just 29% of elderly persons receive pensions, leaving the vast majority financially vulnerable, the report says.
Traditional family-based care structures, particularly in urban settings, are under strain, leaving ageing adults to fend for themselves with limited income and inconsistent access to healthcare. Neglect and abandoning the elders at their fag end of their life causes serious concern warranting proactive steps to protect them. The healthcare system, the report says, is ill-equipped to meet the needs of a rapidly ageing population. Nearly half of India’s elderly suffer from hypertension, 43% from diabetes, and over one-third from arthritis. Despite the chronic conditions, India has only 270 trained geriatricians to serve over 14 crore older adults. Palliative care remains either unavailable or prohibitively expensive, and public insurance schemes like PMJAY currently reach just 25% of seniors.
It is disheartening to learn that women, who are more likely to live longer, face compounded vulnerabilities – making up 71% of reported elder abuse victims. Social isolation is another concern, exacerbated by digital exclusion: 59% of seniors lack access to digital devices and fewer than 20% are digitally literate, limiting their access to information. Infrastructure for elder care remains minimal. India has just 1,000 old-age homes – mainly in urban areas, with many offering substandard care.
Private sector innovations such as luxury retirement homes and high-end assistive technologies serve the wealthiest 1%. Public welfare programmes like the Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme and PMJAY offer some support, but the report finds their impact limited by poor coordination and reach. K Somaprasad has been appointed chairperson of the Thiruvananthapuram-based Kerala State Senior Citizens Commission, State Minister for Higher Education and Social Justice R Bindu disclosed this in her Facebook posting.
What is the Kerala Senior Citizens’ Bill 2023 all about. The Bill was enacted to provide protection, welfare and social security to elders and to promote trust and respect towards them and for inspiring confidence in them by utilising their knowledge, skill, capability and experience inherent in them.
According to the Bill, the senior citizen can report to the Commission regarding any family member, relative or legal heir who has the duty for the care and welfare of a Senior Citizen under Section 4, fails to do so or fails to make provision for his care and welfare, seeking care and welfare. Where the family member, relative or legal heir who fails to comply with the order passed by the Commission under Sub Section (3) shall, on conviction, be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to six months or with fine which may extend to one lakh rupees or with both. 6. (6) The fine realised under Sub Section (5) shall be paid to the Senior Citizen who filed the complaint.
Others who are part of the Kerala State Senior Citizens’ Commission include: Amaravila Ramakrishnan, E M Radha, K N K Namboothiri, and Lopes Mathew who have been appointed as members of the Commission. The Commission will address growing concerns about the “hardships faced by the elderly, including neglect, exploitation, and orphanhood”. The Kerala State Senior Citizens Commission has been constituted under the Kerala Senior Citizens Commission Act, 2025, passed by the state legislature in March this year.
The Commission will work for the welfare and protection of the elderly and provide guidelines and assistance for their rehabilitation, the minister added.
The members were felicitated by the minister at a ceremony held at the Secretariat Durbar Hall on Wednesday. The Commission entails the elders to ensure their protection and rights besides neglect and abuse. Chaired by K Somaprasad, the Commission was formed under the Kerala Senior Citizens Commission Act, 2025. It will focus on welfare, rehabilitation, and protection of senior citizens. This, it is believed, will help in combating the increasing concerns regarding the hardships, exploitation, and orphanhood facing the elderly.
[The author is former Indian Express and Deccan Chronicle chief]
