Government launches Pan-India Helpline for Senior Citizens

The first Pan-India toll-free helpline – 14567 is launched to support India’s elderly population

NewsBharati    28-Sep-2021
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New Delhi, September 28: The first Pan-India toll-free helpline – 14567, has been launched to support the growing need for India’s elderly population. It has been launched by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.

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This helpline called the ‘Elder Line’, is aiming to provide the senior citizens and/or their with a platform to connect and address their concerns, get the information on problems they face daily.

The official release said, “The intent of ‘Elder Line’ is to provide all senior citizens, or their well-wishers, with ONE platform across the country to connect and share their concerns, get information and guidance on problems that they face on a day-to-day basis, without having to struggle for it.”
  
 
This helpline provides free guidance on concerns related to pension, legal issues. It lends emotional support too, and arbitrates in cases of abuse; rescues homeless senior citizens.

Elder Line is an initiative taken by Tata Trusts, the philanthropy division of Tata Group, with its partner Vijayavahini Charitable Foundation.
 
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Till now, 17 states have already opened the Elder Line and more are in line. More than 2 lakh calls have been attended. 30,000 seniors have been attended over the last 4 months. Of these calls, 40% were related to guidance on the Covid vaccine and almost 23% related to pension.

The initiative is significant in India as the country is likely to have 20% elderly population or more than 30 crore senior citizens by year 2050. People in this age group face many mental, emotional, financial, legal, physical challenges and the pandemic has made these worse for them.