The major benefits in the act includes : Monthly maintenance upto Rs.10,000/- , punishment of Rs.5000/- or jail for three months or both for not paying the monthly allowance by children’s or relative, 90 days time bound disposal,no need of advocate, a 3rd party intervention possible , to first resolve the differences and disputes between parents and children amicably, medical facility , protection of life and property , old age homes in every districts etc…
To eliminate the agony and sufferings of this vulnerable section of society, the Parliament enacted a law Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007 in Dec 2007, whereby state governments were required to constitute maintenance tribunal within six weeks of enforcement of the Act.
The Act, which aims to protect the rights of senior citizens and has provisions like 3-month jail to children who abandon their parents, has been implemented by only 11 states so far, but some have still not form the Tribunals to address and implement the Act. The states that have come on board to implement the Act are Nagaland, Karnataka, Jharkhand, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Assam, Kerala, Tripura, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi and Orissa. Maharashtra government and other states have neglected and ignored the cause of Senior Citizens.
Silver Inning Foundation, an NGO working with Senior Citizens demands from Maharashtra government and all state government to immediately adopt, implement the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007 and constitute ‘maintenance tribunals’ to hear and decide the grievance of our Elders ,the Senior Citizens.
If any state government refuges or delays this process then Honorable Supreme Court and High Court should take action against such government for protection of constitutional and human rights of Senor Citizens.Justice delayed is Justice denied.
Lets give Justice to our Elders, lets give Love, Care & Respect to our parents .Say NO TO ELDER ABUSE. On this new year , 1st Jan 2010 Lets take an pledge to protect our Elderly and make this “My World… Your World… Our World – Free of Elder Abuse”