Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi, Sept.28: The central government has launched the first pan-India toll-free helpline–14567–for senior citizens called the ‘Elder Line’ on Tuesday. This helpline aims to provide free information and guidance on pension and legal issues, extend emotional support, and intervene in cases of abuse to the elderly.
The goal is to give senior citizens and their supporters a single platform to connect and share their concerns, as well as receive information and guidance on problems they face on a daily basis, without having to fight for it, according to a statement from the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
Tata Trusts and the National Stock Exchange (NSE) Foundation are assisting the ministry with the implementation of the Elder Line as technical partners. According to the government, 17 states have established the Elder Line in their respective geographies to date.
Over 2 lakh calls have been received in the last four months, with over 30,000 service requests resolved. Nearly 40% of the calls were about vaccine instructions and questions, while nearly 23% of the calls were about pensions, according to the report.
By 2050, India would have more than 300 million senior citizens. People in this age range are dealing with a variety of mental, emotional, financial, legal, and physical issues, which have been worsened by the pandemic.
The social justice ministry stated, “Taking cognizance of the growing need to support elderlies in the country, the Government of India has made a historic step towards resolving the challenges and problems they confront.”
