The elderly population is on the rise and will soon be of considerable size of the total population. Senior citizens should therefore exert their rights for their due place in the society. The elderly population in India which was 7.7 crore, as per Census 2001, is projected to be around 9.5 crore in 2011.

The proportion of elderly in the total population has been increasing in all the countries. In India, it is projected to further go up to 17.3 crore in 2026. Rise in the share of elderly in total population poses multiple challenges. These challenges, however, also come with great opportunities, like for the younger generation, who can utilize the vast repository of knowledge that our elderly possess. Simultaneously, our senior citizens too have to think of ways to creatively and usefully occupy themselves.

The enactment of “The Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007” has been a major milestone to provide for maintenance, shelter, health and security of senior citizens in the country.