World Senior Citizen’s Day is observed every year on 21st August worldwide to honour and acknowledge the valuable contributions of senior citizens to society.
- The day provides an opportunity to show our appreciation for their dedication, accomplishments, and services they give throughout their lives.
Exam Hints:
- Event: World Senior Citizen’s Day 2025
- When? August 21(annually)
- Proclamation: Announced by Former USA President Ronald Reagan in 1988 via Proclamation 5847
- UNGA: Designated October 1 as International Day of Older Persons
- Purpose: To highlight health concerns, elder abuse, isolation, financial insecurity, and cyber risks.
- WHO Projections: 2030 -1 in 6 aged 60+; 2050 – 2.1 billion.
- India 2050: 300 million.
Theme:
2025 Theme: ‘Empowering Elderly Voices for an Inclusive Future’ (This theme is not official but has been mentioned by several sources).
Focus: Emphasizes recognizing and amplifying the insights, experiences, and wisdom of older adults in society.
Background:
Proclamation: Ronald Reagan, the then former President of the United States of America(USA), officially announced World Senior Citizens Day, after he signed the Proclamation 5847, on August 19, 1988.
UNGA’s Designation:Subsequently, on 14 December 1990, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) designated October 1 as the International Day of Older Persons, to be observed annually.
Significance: Honors the achievements and wisdom of senior citizens while raising awareness of challenges like health issues, elder abuse, isolation, financial insecurity, and cyber risks, promoting their dignity and inclusion.
Keyfacts:
Historic Demographic Shift (2020): For the first time in history, the number of people aged 60 and older surpassed the number of children younger than five.
Country-Specific Trends: This shift is most visible in nations like Japan and Italy, where people over 65 account for nearly one-third and one-quarter of the population, respectively.
WHO Projection: According to the World Health Organization (WHO), by 2030, 1 in 6 people worldwide will be aged 60 or above.
- By 2050, the elderly population is expected to reach 2.1 billion—double the 1 billion recorded in 2020.
India’s Elderly Population Outlook:
Population Projections (2011–2031): According to the 2020 Population Projections Report, India had 103.8 million elderly in 2011, a number expected to rise to 193.4 million by 2031.
Future Outlook (2050): By 2050, India’s senior citizen population is projected to exceed 300 million, mainly due to declining fertility rates and rising life expectancy.
Key Initiatives for Older Persons in India:
Legislative & Policy Framework:
- Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007 (MWPSC Act):Mandates children/relatives to provide maintenance to parents; provides for old-age homes in every district.
- National Policy on Older Persons (NPOP), 1999: Framework to ensure social, financial, and healthcare security for the elderly.
Social Security & Pension Schemes:
Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme (IGNOAPS): Launched in 1995 as part of the National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP), IGNOAPS provides financial support in the form of pensions to Below Poverty Line (BPL) senior citizens aged 60 and above, helping ensure a basic standard of living and social security in old age.
Varishtha Pension Bima Yojana (VPBY):Launched in 2003 by the Ministry of Finance(MoF), VPBY is a social security scheme designed to provide senior citizens with a guaranteed minimum pension after retirement. .The scheme is being administered through Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC).
Pradhan Mantri Vaya Vandana Yojana (PMVVY): Launched in 2017 by the Government of India under the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA), PMVVY is a pension scheme aimed at providing senior citizens with a guaranteed minimum return on their investment.
Other Programs:
Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana (RVY): Launched in 2017 by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment(MoSJE), RVY provides free assistive devices to BPL senior citizens with age-related disabilities, enhancing their mobility and quality of life.
Senior Citizens’ Welfare Fund (SCWF): Established in 2016 under the Department of Financial Services(DFS), MoF, SCWF utilises unclaimed amounts from Small Savings Schemes(SSS) to finance welfare initiatives for elderly citizens, promoting their well-being and social security.
National Programme for Health Care of Elderly (NPHCE): The NPHCE was launched in 2010-11 by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare(MoHFW) to strengthen healthcare services at primary, secondary, and tertiary levels for elderly.
Ayushman Bharat – Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY): Launched in 2018, this flagship health insurance scheme of the Government of India(GoI) provides free health coverage to economically vulnerable families, including senior citizens, ensuring access to quality medical treatment without financial burden.
National Award for Senior Citizens (Vayoshreshtha Samman):The National Award for Senior Citizens, also called the Vayoshreshtha Samman, was instituted in 2005 to honour senior citizens.
- Every year, the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment presents the award on 1st October, coinciding with the International Day of Older Persons.
- Award of Iconic Mother: This special category recognizes women senior citizens who have excelled in raising high-achieving children despite significant challenges.
Elderline (14567): National helpline for senior citizens (support for healthcare, abuse reporting, counselling).
