Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala government has initiated the process of establishing a commission dedicated to its senior citizens.
The Kerala Legislative Assembly passed the Kerala Elderly Commission Bill, 2025 earlier this week. The Commission will issue necessary guidelines for welfare, protection and rehabilitation of the state’s elderly population. The Commission will also provide necessary legal assistance for senior citizens.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that this is the first such initiative across the country where a state is trying to take care of its elderly population.
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Kerala Governor Near Rajendra Arlekar On December 19, 2024, the ordinance of the Kerala Elderly Commission was promoted. The new bill introduced in the Legislative Assembly in January this year will replace the ordinance.
Higher Education and Social Justice Minister R. An official at Bindu’s office told Thrint that the government would inform the governor to inform the establishment of the commission after going to the bill. The official said that the Commission would also check the scope for healthy senior citizens to use the skills, besides looking at their welfare, the officer said.
Chief Minister Vijayan said that there would be a continuity of many welfare measures for the Commission senior citizens which were done during their previous term (2016-2021).
Vijayan said in a Facebook post on Thursday, “The Commission would prioritize addressing the difficulties faced by the elderly, including neglect, exploitation and loneliness. It will be responsible for providing the necessary guidelines to deal with these issues.”
The state government currently provides 1,600 monthly pension as part of the Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme for people aged 60 years and above, with an annual income of Rs 1,00,000 or less.
Bill considers importance as 60 years and above people 22.8 percent Total population in Kerala By 2036, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) reports India’s aging report, 2023.
The southern state had the highest count of senior citizens in 2021, with 16.5 percent of the total population, followed by the neighboring Tamil Nadu (13.7 percent).
According to the report, there are 149 million people in India 60 years and above, till 1 July, 2022. These include about 10.5 percent of the country’s population, which is expected to double by 20.8 percent by 2050–347 million.
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Commission’s function and purpose
According to the Kerala State Elderly Commission Bill, the statutory body will have a chairman, and up to three members with compulsory experience regarding the welfare of senior citizens. One of the members posts will be reserved for women, and the other for scheduled castes or scheduled tribes.
The bill states that an officer not less than the post of an additional secretary will be the secretary of the Commission, and the registrar will be appointed, not below the post of Joint Secretary in the Law Department. The term of the members of the Commission will be fixed – three years.
Commission’s works will include coordination with various departments in the state bureaucracy to ensure the welfare and protection of the elderly population. The Commission will advise the government about the programs planned for the same.
The Commission will also take necessary action to bring abandoned or orphaned elderly to care centers. In case of any violation of rights, it will conduct an investigation, prepare a report, and if necessary, in addition to the facility of legal aid aid, inform the concerned authorities for further action. The Commission can also investigate complaints received from jails or lock-ups, where elderly people are detained, and submit reports to the concerned authorities.
(Edited by Mannat Chugh)
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