There has been a steady rise in the population of senior citizens in India. The number of elderly persons increased from 1.98 crore in 1951 to 7.6 crore in 2001 and 10.38 crore in 2011. As per the Report of the Technical Group on Population Projections for India and States (2011-2036) submitted to National Commission on Population, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare the population of senior citizens in India is projected as details given below: –
| 2011 | 2021 | 2026 | 2031 | 2036 | |||||
| Population | % | Population | % | Population | % | Population | % | Population | % |
| 0.38 | 8.66 | 13.76 | 10.1 | 16.28 | 11.4 | 19.34 | 13.1 | 22.74 | 14.9 |
General improvement in the health care facilities over the years is one of the main reasons for continuing increase in proportion of population of senior citizens. Ensuring that they not merely live longer, but lead a secure, dignified and productive life is a major challenge. The traditional norms and values of the Indian society laid stress on showing respect and providing care for the aged. However, in recent times, society is witnessing a gradual but definite decline of the joint family system, as a result of which a large number of parents are being neglected by their families exposing them to lack of emotional, physical and financial support. These older persons are facing a lot of problems in the absence of adequate social security. This reveals that ageing has become a major social challenge and there is a need to provide for the economic and health needs of the elderly and to create a social milieu, which is conducive and sensitive to the emotional needs of the elderly. An active Sr citizen feels alone without having work at home although equally competent to work and provide services as mature challenger.
Therefore, the challenge is to devise ways to build a society for Senior Citizens across the nation in which they can live healthy, happy, empowered, dignified and self-reliant life along with strong social and inter-generational bonding by involving society at large specially by involving following stakeholders to provide an opportunity for employment to the older persons: –
- Private firms / Corporates
- Educational institutions
- Government Sectors and local Bodies for consultancy services
- The Non-Profit, Non-Governmental Associations, Societies /Trusts etc.
- The Media and finally the Public at large.
More than 50% senior citizens are found active as per the LASI report 2020. Many senior citizens having experience, time and energy can be used by the business enterprises looking for stable employees with experience. The Human resources cells of many private enterprises seek experienced but stable persons in certain positions. The portal allows bringing these people together by virtual matching of preferences.
Scope of the Portal
- An IT portal to bring the employment seeker senior citizens and employment providers on one platform will be developed and maintained by an agency identified through a transparent process.
- An individual senior citizen will get oneself registered on the portal with his relevant education, past experience, skills and the areas of interest. The person will also select keywords regarding expected tasks, which will enable the job providers find them automatically. Details can be updated by the Senior citizens.
- Any job provider – individual / firm/ company/ partnership/ Voluntary Organisation etc. can also register on the portal. The job provider will specify the task involved and the number of senior citizens that are required to complete it.
- Voluntary Organizations will help the senior citizens in applying for these jobs. No user charges will be taken from any of the senior citizens by any Voluntary
Organizations. Therefore, the Employment Portal will serve not only the senior citizens seeking employment, but also the employers, the SHGs, the senior citizens gaining skills, and other agencies/ individuals.
- The Employment Exchange Portal will not be a guarantee for getting a job/ employment or selling of the products of the SHGs, or for any other activity. It will act as an interactive platform where stakeholders meet each other virtually and decide on the course of action with mutual respect, consent and understanding.
- Any individual/ firm/ company/ agency will seek the services of the senior citizens in respect of those tasks where experience can naturally outweigh hiring new personnel and providing them training, etc. Example can be short term employment, contract for a project, teaching, counselling jobs. The Employer and the employee may extend their partnership beyond the short term, too, on mutual consent and respect basis.
Modalities: Web portal will be developed through NIC.There will be adequate publicity both among elders and enterprises to enroll on the portal.
Cost: An amount of Rs. 10 Cr would be provided for funding for the platform development along with maintenance grant of @ Rs. 2 Cr per year for 5 years. Expenditure would be incurred on actual basis.An amount of Rs. 10 cr would be spent annually for publicity about the portal in various business enterprises.