Kerala polls: Ageing voters in state seek security, dignity
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): For 81-year-old Krishnamma, the high-stakes April 9 Kerala Assembly elections boils down to a single, urgent question. When party workers arrived at the doorstep of her modest, tile-roofed home in the hill hamlet of Vithura to seek a vote, she didn't want to hear about manifestos or political rivalries. Instead, she looked at them and asked, "When will I get my next pension payment?"
For thousands like her, the election is not just about politics, it is about survival, dignity and the assurance of care in the twilight years.
In a state often celebrated for its human development indicators, a silent demographic shift is underway, with Kerala's ageing population currently at 16.5 per cent -- the highest in the country -- and senior citizens forming a significant, powerful voting bloc.
The issues of elderly people are quite different from the voters of other age groups, as they want consistent disbursal of monthly pensions, medical facilities at their doorsteps and constructive means of engagement to address their loneliness.
As the LDF, UDF and NDA roll out promises tailored to this segment, Kerala's elderly are weighing not just what is being offered but also who can deliver with consistency and compassion.
"I depend entirely on the monthly pension. So, whichever party comes to power, my request is to ensure a consistent and increased social security pension," Suresh, a 70-year-old retired headload worker, told PTI.
Beyond economic and medical concerns, social isolation is emerging as a silent crisis among Kerala's elderly, especially those living alone as children migrate abroad.
Susheela, a retired government employee in Pandalam, wants a special scheme to address the safety and security of parents who live alone as children work abroad.
"Safety is always a matter of concern for us. We are living alone at home, as both of our children are working in two foreign countries. If we have a medical emergency at night, what will we do? That's also a major concern for me," the 72-year-old woman told PTI.
When Mohanan Nair, a KSRTC pensioner here, wants a dedicated space for senior citizens to spend time every day, Satheesh Chandran, a retired bank manager, feels that urgent steps are needed to address the social isolation being faced by the elderly.
The ruling LDF, highlighting its expansion of social welfare pensions in recent years, has promised to further increase their monthly assistance.
The UDF, meanwhile, has accused the government of alleged irregular disbursements and has pledged time-bound payments along with a revision of pension amounts.
The NDA has focused on creating a more structured social security framework, promising better integration of central schemes.
Senior CPI(M) leader and former Rajya Sabha MP T N Seema said the formulation of a "Vayojana Nayam" (Kerala State Policy for Elderly Persons) and the setting up of the Senior Citizens Commission are among the significant achievements of the Pinarayi Vijayan-led LDF government.
"In the past 10 years, the Left government was able to create an elderly-friendly atmosphere in the state through a series of interventions," she told PTI.
She recalled that steps had been taken to popularise the concepts, like senior citizen clubs at the grassroots level through local self-government institutions for the productive engagement of the elderly.
Kerala became the first state to introduce an exclusive "elderly budget" along with the state budget document in January this year to address the geriatric demographic shift.
Senior citizens have become the major beneficiaries when palliative care has been extended widely and the concept of care economy has been implemented in the state by the government, Seema said.
However, senior Congress leader and former Assembly deputy speaker Palode Ravi questioned the claims of the ruling front and said the senior citizens have been one of the most untapped sections in society in the past 10 years.
"Senior citizens in Kerala are one of the most experienced and potential banks of talent. But the lack of visionary initiatives by the Left government has turned them into a mere group waiting for their monthly pension of Rs 2,000," he told PTI.
If the UDF comes to power, a dedicated system will be developed to make use of their talents and potentials completely, Ravi added.
BJP general secretary S Suresh also criticised the Left government in terms of its approach towards elders and accused it of not implementing many central schemes for them properly.
"Kerala is one of the very few states which has not implemented Vay Vandana Yojana, the central scheme which guarantees free healthcare up to Rs five lakh to those aged 70 years and above," he told PTI.
He alleged that the state government did not release the monthly pension to elderly people regularly.
If the NDA comes to power, the treatment for elderly people would be made completely free, the leader added.
The LDF, in its recently released election manifesto, promised several schemes for senior citizens, including retirement homes, strengthening of co-op care geriatric and palliative care centres and so on, along with the enhancement of monthly pensions up to Rs 3,000.
Meanwhile, the UDF promises to set up a dedicated department for the welfare of senior citizens and innovative initiatives like "Ammavadi" on the model of anganwadi for the care of elderly women.
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Maharashtra sets up state vaccination task force to strengthen immunisation programme
Mumbai (PTI): The Maharashtra government has set up a State Vaccination Task Force to strengthen the regular immunisation programme and review the progress of related campaigns, a health department official said on Monday.
The State Vaccination Task Force will comprise at least 29 members and will be headed by the administrative head of the health department, he informed.
The government has also constituted separate district-level and municipal vaccination task forces to improve implementation and address challenges at the grassroots level, he said.
Municipal task forces, chaired by respective civic commissioners, have been constituted in view of the vast urban population in Maharashtra and the role of civic bodies in implementing different health programmes.
The district-level task forces will function under the chairmanship of collectors.
"Complete immunisation of children at the appropriate age is an extremely simple, cost-effective and highly effective measure to reduce child mortality and the prevalence of diseases among kids. Immunisation is a powerful tool for reducing illness in children," maintained the official.
To ensure full vaccination of all children, the state government implements various campaigns from time to time as per the central government guidelines, he pointed out.
"Active participation and cooperation of other relevant government departments are essential (in making these campaigns successful)," according to the official.
The state-level body will review the regular immunisation programme, associated campaigns and vaccine-preventable diseases in detail. It will also conduct focused assessments of high-risk districts and municipal corporations, including vacancies at district, municipal and sub-district levels, availability of cold chain equipment, resource gaps and training requirements, he noted.
The state task force will review allocation and utilisation of funds for immunisation and ensure timely action by officers concerned based on reports from district and municipal task forces and state-level monitoring mechanisms, the official said.
It will also ensure active coordination and participation of other government departments in immunisation drives, while district and municipal task forces will carry out similar functions at their respective levels, the official added.
