NEW DELHI:
Union Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Meira Kumar on Tuesday tabled the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Bill, 2007 in the Lok Sabha.
The Bill proposes to make it obligatory on the persons who inherit the property of their aged relatives to maintain them. It also aims to make provisions for setting up old age homes to take care of indigent older persons.
It aims to set up an appropriate mechanism for need-based maintenance to parents and senior citizens, better medical facilities and old age homes in every district. It seeks for institutionalisation of a suitable mechanism for the protection of the life and property of older persons.
Describing ageing as a major challenge and the need to give more attention to the care and protection of the older person, the statement of objects and reasons said many older persons, particularly widowed women, are now forced to spend their twilight years all alone and face emotional neglect and lack physical and financial support.
Though the parents can claim maintenance under the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, the procedure is both time-consuming as well as expensive.
Hence, there is need to have simple, inexpensive and speedy provisions to claim maintenance, the statement said.
Printer friendly
page Send this article to Friends by
E-Mail
