Aiming at improving the functions of the State Council of Senior Citizens, the State government has made certain amendments in the Tamil Nadu Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Rules, 2009 specifying the council’s functions, duties and responsibilities.
The recent amendment empowers the council to review the status of maintenance claim cases reported by parents and senior citizens, once in six months or whenever necessary. A G.O. issued recently also provides for ensuring the life and property of senior citizens by reviewing the progress of probe into crimes against them and prosecution of registered offences.
Reviewing the working of old age homes and ensuring their conforming to the standards laid down, monitoring the work of maintenance officer, conciliation officer and reviewing the progress in cases pending in maintenance tribunals and ensuring timely and fair disposal of applications are among the notified functions of the council.
Volunteer committees
The council will also have to ensure that volunteer committees are formed to liaise between senior citizens living alone and the police , to make recommendations to the State government about any modifications in the mode of implementation of any of the provisions of the Act.
In case of a vacancy in the council, the State-level nodal officer and convener of the council are to submit a report to the government towards filling the vacancy immediately.
“All business shall be considered in the meeting of the State Council and shall be decided by a majority of the votes of the members present and voting."
Any decision taken by members of the State Council shall be valid only if it is supported by not less than two-third of the members.
The State government in 2009 notified the Tamil Nadu Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Rules, one of which provided for establishing the State Council of Senior Citizens.
