x

Like our Facebook Page

   
Early Times Newspaper Jammu, Leading Newspaper Jammu
 
Breaking News :   Well done, Charak | Where cinema begins again: The quiet power of restored classics | The Global Population Challenge | Humans Vs Machines: who will win the future of human resource management | India cannot function without Ram, Krishna, Shiva: CM Yogi | New UP is rushing from heat wave to green wave under Yogi Govt, reveals Forest Deptt report | Balbir remembered Guru Ravidass on Guru Purnima | DC Bandipora visits Gurez, reviews developmental projects | 420 MT Rotor lowered in Unit-I of Pakal Dul H.E. Project, CVPPL | Power Shut down | LG warns people giving irresponsible statements, propagating TRF narrative | LG congratulates Rajat Charak | Post-Operation Sindoor, demand for ‘Make in India’ weapons has seen sharp rise: LG Sinha | Lithium auction in Reasi expected after final survey report | J&K has evolved into year-round, all-segment tourism destination: CM Omar | Arms cache recovered in Poonch | Nabbed with Rs 70 Lakh Heroin, a family from RS Pura’s Tanda village running cross-border narcotics network | Amarnath Yatra: 7,307 pilgrims leave Jammu Base Camp | SC says ECI’s roll revision drive mandated in Constitution, but questions timing | ACB arrests Patwari for accepting bribe | Landslide kills girl | 7 injured in Udhampur accident | Goods train derails in Kathua | Joint Director Tourism Jammu Aijaz Qaiser interacts with social media influencers | MLA Arvind felicitates young Wushu Stars for bringing laurels to J&K | Div Com Jammu reviews preparations for Annual Basohli Utsav | Illegal pony operator booked & temple theft case solved in Katra | J&K Govt embarks on study to establish IT/ITES Parks | HC Grants bail to CE in corruption case | J&K High Court conducts plantation drive at Janipur complex | Kavinder pays obeisance to Hridayadeep Ji Maharaj on Guru Purnima | Pipping ceremony of Assistant Sub-Inspector held | Drug peddler arrested, intoxicant capsules recovered by Udhampur police | ADGP Armed J&K visits IRP 4th Battalion, Kupwara | Mehbooba seeks EAM's intervention to save Indian nurse on death row in Yemen | India's higher education ecosytem has undergone fundamental transformation: Pradhan at VC conference | ED books 29 Actors, Influencers, YouTubers in online betting linked PMLA case | Govt to sell minority stake in LIC | Delhi cop receives extortion call of Rs 10 crore; FIR registered, probe on | Dogri song "Ambli Banage Daal" released in Jammu | "Rotary Club Jammu Elite and SIBA organize successful medical camp | Balwant Thakur to visit England from July 25 to expand Natrang's international network | Modi Govt sets new benchmark for corruption-free governance: Rohiin Chandan | JKAACL hosts "Meet the Author" event | Field office of Union Ministry of MSME organizes Seminar | Samba police arrests absconder | SHKSSJ celebrates Guru Purnima with devotion and grandeur | KSS celebrate Guru Purnima with traditional religious fervor | GAMC&H Akhnoor students visited Sitlee Water Purification Plant | Workshop on Bloom's Taxonomy to Empower Educators | SJVN organizes two-day Orientation Programme for CMDs and Directors of CPSEs | SJVN organizes two-day Orientation Programme for CMDs and Directors of CPSEs | SIPS Hosts CBSE Cluster XVIIl Kabaddi Tournament | SBSSU becomes first University in Punjab to implement mandatory "Entrepreneurship Mindset" curriculum | Preserving our ecosystem, a collective responsibility: Committee on Environment | KU holds special marathon for differently-abled students | Shreyanka, Sadhu named in India A squad to tour Australia, Radha to lead | New Delhi to host two major international shooting competitions in 2027-28 | Back Issues  
 
news details
Extended facilities to senior citizens
10/9/2019 11:31:05 PM
Mahadeep Singh Jamwal

The elderly should be viewed as contributors to the process of development, and their ability to affect social betterment must be taken into account during policy and programme formulation at all levels. After a lifetime of working, and contributing to the success of this nation in countless ways, senior citizens deserve to have a dignified status in the society. Being a senior citizen may bring certain benefits that are not generally available to people who have not reached that age. The government has its prime duty towards its senior citizens in providing many sops to this segment. The facilities that are provided to this fraternity are not a mercy on them but their right. In USA, as a senior citizen, you qualify for assistance programs that can help with health care costs, nutrition, and increase access to community volunteer activities and offer employment opportunities, among other benefits. These benefits are offered not only by federal, state and local governments, but on a business-to-consumer basis as well. In India, senior citizens can avail of a host of benefits that add to their convenience and ease their financial burden. The facilities extended from time to time to Senior citizens can be listed as;
1. Tax Laws are relaxed for the senior citizens to ease their financial burden. Income of up to Rs 3 lakh is non-taxable. For super senior citizens (over 80 year of age), income of up to Rs 5 lakh is non-taxable. Health insurance premium of up to Rs 30,000 gets tax deduction under Section 80D of Income Tax Act 1961. Senior citizens suffering from a critical illness can avail a tax deduction of up to Rs 60,000 under Section 80DDB. The limit is increased to Rs 80,000 for super seniors.
2. Senior citizens can avail of various discounts on travelling fares. Air travel: Senior citizens with Indian citizenship, who are over 60, are eligible for 50% discount on economy fare for domestic travel. Rail travel: Men over the age of 60, and women over the age of 58 are eligible for discount respectively. The element of concession is 40% for men and 50% for women. The discount is available on fares of all classes of Mail/Express/Rajdhani/Shatabdi/Jan Shatabdi/ Duranto trains. There is a provision to allot lower berths to Senior Citizens, subject to availability of accommodation at the time of booking, to help the old and disabled passengers requiring assistance at the stations and to strengthen the existing services. 'Yatri Mitra Sewa' is being provided through IRCTC at major stations for enabling passengers to book wheel chair services cum porter services. Bus travel: Some municipal corporation and state governments give concession to senior citizens on bus fare. Certain bus seats are also reserved for them.
3. Higher Interest: There are government-backed savings instrument offered to Indian residents above the age of 60. They get higher interest on investments. The Senior Citizen's Saving Scheme is available to all seniors over the age of 60. It offers interest of 8.4% per annum. Senior citizens get 0.5% higher interest rate on fixed deposits than the standard rate.
4. Special Schemes: The government has several senior citizen welfare schemes. Such as: Pradhan Mantri Vaya Vandana Yojana (PMVVY). The scheme is managed by the Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC). Under this scheme the beneficiary is assured of 8 per cent per annum return on the deposit. National Insurance offers 'Varishta Mediclaim Policy', for seniors aged 60-80. Maximum sum insured offered is Rs 1 lakh for hospitalisation and Rs 2 lakh for critical illness, LIC's Varishtha Pension Bima Yojana 2017 will provide an assured pension to senior citizens based on a guaranteed rate of return of 8% for 10 years. A maximum of Rs 7.5 lakh can be invested in this scheme and one can get pension on monthly, quarterly, half-yearly or annual basis. Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana (RVY). Launched in 2017 by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment of Government of India. This scheme is only available to those senior citizens, who are below poverty line, that is, are BPL cardholders. Senior citizens suffering from low vision, hearing impairment, loss of teeth, and locomotors disability will be provided with assisted-living devices. Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme. Introduced in 2007 by the Ministry of Rural Development of India, this scheme is popularly known as National Old Age Pension Scheme (NOAPS). This scheme provides social assistance benefits to senior citizens, widows, and those with disabilities.
5. Lower Charges: The telephone bills of senior citizens are subsidized. BSNL: Senior citizen over 65 is eligible for registration of telephone on priority with waiver of registration charges for them.
6. Other Benefits: Banks, hospitals, etc. make special allowances for them. Separate queues for the elderly in hospitals for registration and clinical examination. Senior citizens over the age of 60 can write to the court for preferential hearing of their cases. Senior citizens can be issued a passport on post police verification basis if they submit a copy of the passport of their child (above 18) staying abroad (with a page having their name) as an additional document along with their application form. Bank branches have separate queues for the elderly. Most banks have special accounts for senior citizens that offer facilities like issuing senior citizen cards, priority service at branches, etc.
  Share This News with Your Friends on Social Network  
  Comment on this Story  
 
 
 
Early Times Android App
STOCK UPDATE
  
BSE Sensex
NSE Nifty
 
CRICKET UPDATE
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
Home About Us Top Stories Local News National News Sports News Opinion Editorial ET Cetra Advertise with Us ET E-paper
 
 
J&K RELATED WEBSITES
J&K Govt. Official website
Jammu Kashmir Tourism
JKTDC
Mata Vaishnodevi Shrine Board
Shri Amarnath Ji Shrine Board
Shri Shiv Khori Shrine Board
UTILITY
Train Enquiry
IRCTC
Matavaishnodevi
BSNL
Jammu Kashmir Bank
State Bank of India
PUBLIC INTEREST
Passport Department
Income Tax Department
JK CAMPA
JK GAD
IT Education
Web Site Design Services
EDUCATION
Jammu University
Jammu University Results
JKBOSE
Kashmir University
IGNOU Jammu Center
SMVDU