Aiming to offer appropriate financial aid, Centre brings out various schemes for Senior Citizens

New Delhi, March 20: Viewing the progress led by the nation on a positive note, a major backhand leads to the senior citizens for their major support. In order to provide proper financial assistance for them, the Central Government has initiated many initiatives. Aiding the senior citizens by providing them with financial assistance, the centre has started various schemes.

The Department of Social Justice and Empowerment have set up schemes like the Integrated Programme for Old Persons (IPOP) since the year 1992, providing support to the senior citizen like shelter, food, medical case and entertainment opportunities and by encouraging productive and active ageing. Under this Scheme, financial assistance is provided to Non-Governmental and Voluntary Organisations, Panchayati Raj Institutions and many others for the running and maintenance of projects like Old Age Homes, Physiotherapy Centres, Day Care Centres.

The Scheme of IPOP is a demand driven Scheme, wherein financial assistance in the form of grant in aid is released to NGOs after receiving proposals online through the concerned State Governments in completion in all respects.

Earlier as per the information generated by the Department of Rural Development, the Old Age Pension was provided under the Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme especially to the person concerning to the Below Poverty Line(BPL) households and people of 60 years or more.

State wise funds were released by the Rural Development team and proper check has been set in order to view the Identification of beneficiaries, sanction and disbursement of benefit which is done by the State Governments.

However the performances of the NGOs are monitored time to time through periodic field visit by the nodal officers of this Ministry, Inspection of projects are been conducted by Regional Resources Training Centres (RRTCs), and inspection of the projects under the Scheme by the District Social Welfare Officer of the State Government.