Organisation : Department of Social Justice & Empowerment (DOSJE SCW)
Scheme Name : Senior Citizens Welfare Fund (SCWF)
Applicable For : Senior Citizens
Applicable States/UTs : All India
Website : https://scw.dosje.gov.in/content/senior-citizens-welfare-fund-scwf
What is Senior Citizens Welfare Fund (SCWF)?
A Senior Citizens Welfare Fund (SCWF) has been established under the Finance Act, 2015. The Fund Shall be utilised for such schemes for the promotion of the welfare of Senior citizens in line with the National Policy on Older Persons and the National Policy on Senior Citizens.
Related / Similar Scheme : DOSJE SCW Integrated Programme For Senior Citizens (IPSrC)
The unclaimed money lying under Small Savings Schemes, Employees Provident Fund, Public Provident Fund schemes, Life and non-life insurance schemes or polices maintained by insurance companies and accounts of Coal Mines Provident Fund is transferred into Senior Citizens’ Welfare Fund.
Administration of Senior Citizens Welfare Fund (SCWF)
The nodal Ministry for the administration of the Fund shall be the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. Senior Citizens Welfare Fund shall have its secretariat located in the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
The Fund shall be administered by a Committee whose ex-officio chairman shall be Secretary in the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. This Committee shall meet at least twice a year.
State Action Plan For Senior Citizens
The section 20 in chapter (IV) of the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents & Senior Citizens (MWPSC) Act, 2007 states that healthcare for Sr Citizens shall be provided by the State Governments.
The main objective of the programmes is to provide recognition and opportunity to senior citizens to contribute and thereby feel useful to the society, to improve the quality of life of the Senior Citizens, by encouraging productive and active ageing through the Institutions of the State/ UT Governments/Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs)/Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) / local bodies and the community at large.
Appreciating the critical and significant role of States/UTs, each State/UT is expected to plan and strategize taking into account their local considerations and frame their own State Action Plans for the welfare of their senior citizens. This State Action Plan may comprise a long-term strategy for five years as well as Annual Action Plans.
Under SAPSrC, the Ministry releases funds to the States/UTs for formulation and implementation of their State Action Plans. States/ UTs are free to include their own strategies and programmes as a part of their State Action Plans, however the design of the SAPSrC for which funding is admissible has been finalized under AVYAY. The States/ UTs are expected to put in their own funds to augment the resources available for this purpose.
National Helpline For Senior Citizens 14567
Elderline was dedicated to the Nation by the then Hon’ble Vice President of India on the occasion of the International Day for Older Persons i.e. on 01st October, 2021. It is a toll-free number 14567 implemented by all States/UTs which operates on all seven days of the week from 8 AM to 8 PM.
The vision of the Elderline is to connect and engage with Senior Citizens and serve them in a compassionate manner. The mission of the Elderline is to make a positive difference to the lives of senior citizens through a single platform by redressing grievances of the senior citizens, by providing necessary information and field intervention through a collective effort of highly committed partners including government agencies, non-profit organizations, private sector, organisations working for the senior citizen’s cause and volunteers.