Key Points
New Delhi: NITI Aayog is firming up a policy prescription for enhancing elderly care in the country with a focus on public-private partnership to set up old-age homes, convergence of existing schemes related to the elderly and pitching for higher resources to be allocated to the sector to significantly ramp up care for senior citizens as the country expects 19% of its population, or 300 million people, to be above 60 years of age by 2050...
A senior government official told ET that the Aayog will soon come up with a policy paper that will lay out a roadmap to integrate existing schemes, enhance allocations and incentivise the private sector to invest in the sector in a big way...
"The idea is to have a comprehensive system in place by the time India becomes an ageing country so that all needs of the elderly, be it related to health or care in general, are met," the official said...
As per 2011 census , the number of elderly people (60-plus years) in the country was 103.83 million, which is projected to increase to 133.32 million (2021), 178.59 million (2031), 236.01 million (2041) and 300.96 million (2051)..
The government, currently, provides healthcare facilities to the elderly under the National Programme for Health Care of the Elderly (NPHCE) under the health ministry and National Action Plan for Senior Citizens under the ministry of social justice and empowerment...
