• India Ageing Report 2023 was released recently.
• It has been produced by the United Nations Population Fund, India, in collaboration with the International Institute for Population Sciences.
• It throws light on the challenges, opportunities, and institutional responses surrounding elderly care in India as the country’s elderly are likely to make up 20% of the country’s population by 2050.

MAJOR FINDINGS

• The three key government schemes for the elderly are the Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme (IGNOAPS), Indira Gandhi National Widow Pension Scheme (IGNWPS) and Annapurna Scheme.
  • 55% of elderly are aware of the old-age pension scheme (IGNOAPS); 44% about the widow pension scheme (IGNWPS); and 12% about the Annapurna Scheme.
• The awareness of MWPSC (Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens) Act is relatively very low at only 12%.
• It cites rural and urban disparities as well as State-wise variation as far awareness about the welfare schemes is concerned.

Of the total elderly population, around 2.5% have hearing impairment and 3.7% have vision impairment.

• IT also points out that access to social security schemes for older persons with disability remains far less.
  • According to the report around 32% of the elderly with hearing and vision impairments availed the social insurance scheme.

REASON FOR NOT AVAILING THE WELFARE SCHEMES

• multiple administrative procedures including extensive documentation
• elderly are often unable to carry out these mandatory requirements because of physical infirmities, lack of technical understanding among others.

IIPS Mumbai

• Established in
• It was formerly known as Demographic Training and Research Centre (DTRC).
• It is under administrative control of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.