There has been a consistent and rapid growth in the elderly population across India in recent years.
The anticipated proportion of the elderly population in Telangana is forecast to rise to 17.1% in 2036, a notable increase from the 11% recorded in 2021, according to the India Ageing Report 2023 released by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).
Ageing is defined in terms of chronological age with a cut-off at 60 or 65 years (in part because it broadly coincides with the age at retirement). At the national level, the share of the elderly population is projected to increase from 10.1% in 2021 to 15% in 2036.
The report highlights a consistent and rapid growth in the elderly population across India in recent years, suggesting a sustained trend in the coming decades. This trend is characterised by a substantial increase in the elderly population since 2010, coupled with a decline in the age group below 15 years, indicating a swift ageing process in the country.
The India Ageing Report 2023, reveals that in Telangana the life expectancy at 60 years stands at 17.3 for males and 18.3 for females. Life expectancy at 60 is a measure of the average number of years a person of 60 years can expect to live based on prevailing sex- and age-specific death rates.
Old age vulnerability in Telangana is attributed to various factors, with 14.6% linked to restrictions in daily activities, 30.7% to multi-morbidity, 15.8% to poverty, and 11% to income-related issues. Health-related vulnerability encompasses the potential risk of developing chronic and morbid conditions that diminish physiological and cognitive capabilities, the report stated.
Under Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), Tata Trusts and NSE Foundation have implemented comprehensively in the elder care sector. Their efforts, including a project initiated in Hyderabad in collaboration with Andhra Mahila Sabha (DDMS) in 2019, aim to address the diverse needs of the elderly population with support from Tata Advanced Systems Limited.
The report notes the steps taken by the State to help the elderly. Recognising the necessity for a dedicated helpline for senior citizens, the Elder Spring Response System with the toll-free number 14567 was established in Telangana by the Vijaya Vahini Charitable Foundation, supported by Tata Trusts. The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MOSJE) acknowledged the impact of the helpline in Telangana and decided to expand the programme nationally.
The survey conducted in Telangana indicates that 35.3% of the elderly are aware of the Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme, 27.8% are aware of the Indira Gandhi National Widow Pension Scheme, 5.2% are aware of the Annapurna Scheme, and 4.9% are aware of the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act. Additionally, 31.6% of the elderly population in Telangana is covered under various health insurance schemes.
Voluntary organisations, such as the Telangana Senior Citizens Service Trust, played a crucial role during the pandemic by actively distributing food to unemployed slum-dwellers and facilitating door-to-door surveys by health workers to identify specific needs of the elderly in the community, according to the report.
