New Delhi: The Supreme Court Thursday asked the Centre to increase the pension money for senior citizens. The SC also directed to set up at least one old age home in each district.
The court passed the order on a plea of former Union Law Minister Ashwini Kumar and advocate Sanjeeb Panigrahi who approached the court seeking directions to the governments to increase the pension amount.
A bench of justices Madan B Lokur and Deepak Gupta said people, particularly those who have been deserted by their family members require special care and attention.
Under the present scheme, pension of Rs 200 per month has been fixed for persons between the age of 60-79 years and Rs 500 per month for persons above 80 years of age. Noting that amount was fixed way back in 2007 when the scheme was launched by the Centre and has not been revised since then, the bench said the Centre and states ‘must revisit the grant of pension to the elderly so that it is more realistic”.
PNN