Demand for Decent Pension, Health and Food Security for the ALL Retired Informal Sector Workers (i.e. senior Citizens who have worked for decades in informal sectors such as domestic work, street vending, city cleaning, construction work, and many more that keep our cities running)

On 1st October, on the occasion of the International Day of Older Persons, we the retired informal workers at AIKYATA (ಅಖಿಲ ಕರ್ನಾಟಕ ವಯೋವೃದ್ಧರ ಒಕ್ಕೂಟ  - ‘All Karnataka Elderly Federation’), appeal to our fellow citizens, brothers and sisters everywhere, to sign this petition and support our demands for “Decent Pension, Health, and Food Security”.

This year's theme is "Ageing with Dignity: The Importance of Strengthening Care and Support Systems for Older Persons Worldwide”. The theme can be manifested only if our demands are recognised and implemented. 

Who are We? We, the Retired Informal Sector Workers/Senior Citizens, have spent our lives working in different sectors like construction, sanitation, domestic work, street vending, driving and many more. We have contributed to the development of the society and nation for our entire lives for more than 50 years. We have built roads, bridges, buildings, ensured public transport, ensured clean cities, supported in your household functions. Without our labour, the wheels of the society could have not run, and the development of the nation would have not been possible. We constitute around 90 percent of the workforce, but our valuable labour is neglected.

What happens to us at old age when we are not able to work any more?  We are left without any pension, food and health security. As per reports, other senior citizens who retired from the formal sector are recognised and get social security and pension. Besides, salaries in formal jobs usually allow for savings. But after contributing to the development of the society, we are not even recognised as retired workers but termed as poor, helpless and destitute. The number of senior citizens in India is estimated to be 17.3 Crore in 2026, in which retired informal sector workers are the majority, but we don't have effective social security to live a dignified life. https://idronline.org/article/rights/poor-policy-is-failing-the-elderly-in-indias-unorganised-sector/ 

http://publications.azimpremjifoundation.org/2769/1/GramVaani.pdf

No Recognition, No Decent pension: 

There is no recognition of our lifetime contribution, but if we are destitute, then State Government programs and schemes like Sandhya Suraksha Yojana applies from age 65 onwards providing us a meagre Rs 1000 per month as ‘Destitute Pension’. Whereas, from age 60 until 65 years, the National Old Age Pension scheme provides us a pitiful Rs 200 to 500 per month. These schemes demand unreasonable criteria and requirements of documents, none of which we have the physical capacity or the resources to obtain in order to qualify. At this age, we need to go around to various departments to get certificates in order to apply for these schemes. 

Moreover, the government expects us to apply for these documents online. We might live in the silicon city of India, but access to technology and application processes is a distant dream. For any application, we need to get various documents like Aadhaar card, BPL ration card, Voter ID, Bank Passbook along with 3 photographs. In addition to these, we have to visit government hospitals/PHC for testing and get a Doctor's certificate to confirm our age. Further, we need to get signatures of local MLA and finally, we need to give the application to Nadakacheri (local government department). After that, we need to wait for 40 days to get an order copy. We are documenting this process in the form of a report to trace the long, arduous, and resource-consuming gamble in making pension applications under the present schemes. 

Therefore, we demand that the State of Karnataka should: 

(i) recognise us as retired workers from the informal sector and 

(ii) create a separate department for providing a decent pension through an easily accessible and inclusive application and any other bureaucratic processes. 

(iii) Further, most importantly, we demand the pension to be, at the very least, half of the average minimum wage. 

 

No Access to Health facility: 

In addition, old age brings with it a gamut of ailments and chronic illness including hypertension, diabetes, cataract, joint and bone related issues, bowel and urinary issues, dementia, etc.

Private health care is out of reach for informal workers, more so for us retired informal workers. Moreover, the Government health infrastructure such as PHCs, Namma Clinics, government-run hospitals and clinics, do not cater to our health and medical needs. If we go to any government hospital, we are neglected, and most of the time, there are no medicines available in the government-run pharmacy for senior citizens. The government has launched a national action plan for senior citizens in 2020; however, instead of utilizing existing widespread government infrastructure such as PHCs, hospitals, etc., this plan focuses on providing grants to private parties for running shelters and mobile clinics. Thus, left to private parties, such mobile clinics and shelters are not implemented nearly enough.  Hence, the existing rudimentary healthcare schemes and facilities do not serve our need for comprehensive health care and provision of medicines. http://publications.azimpremjifoundation.org/3038/1/Health%20Care%20Equity%20in%20Urban%20India_Arima.pdf

Thus, we demand the State Government of Karnataka to ensure effective geriatric care by:

(i) ensuring immediate access to healthcare in existing widespread government health institutions, and for this, we suggest

(ii) Strengthening all government primary, secondary, tertiary and super speciality facilities to meet the needs of senior citizens. Mobile clinics and home based care should be made available for those who are not mobile. This should include emergency services, cataract surgery, palliative and rehabilitative services. Elderly also need specialised physiotherapy and fall prevention interventions. Mental health of elderly is a neglected area. Alzheimer, dementia, depression etc. are often undiagnosed and can lead to distress for the individual as well as their family. 

(iii) Further, we need free-of-cost essential medicines at all government-run and/or assisted pharmacies.

 

No Food and Nutrition:

Without a decent pension, we retired workers are left without proper food and nutrition. Proper nutrition is very important for a dignified life. The Public distribution system provides for only free food grains but at the old age without any support we the retired informal sector are not able to cook. We don't have access to nutritious sources of food like vegetables, dairy, meat and eggs. Many of us have to beg to satisfy our hunger. Many elderly persons die of neglect and hunger. https://health.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/industry/74-indians-have-insufficient-access-to-adequate-nutrition-highlights-countrys-food-insecurity-problem/108671744

 

Thus, we demand that the government should create a program for providing one nutritious, hot meal a day to the retired workers delivered to their doorstep or within their living quarters. The food can be provided through government-led canteens and community kitchens. 

In summary, THIS WORLD ELDERS DAY, for Ageing with Dignity and to honour the contribution of the retired informal workers/senior citizens to the nation, we demand the following:  

(1) #Decent Pension: We demand the Government (i) to recognise us as retired workers from the informal sector and (ii) to create a separate department for providing a decent pension through an easily accessible and inclusive application and any other bureaucratic processes. (iii) Further, most importantly, we demand the pension to be, at the very least, half of the average minimum wage.

(2) #Health Security: We demand the Government to ensure effective geriatric care by: (i) ensuring immediate access to healthcare in existing widespread government health institutions, and for this, we suggest (ii) Strengthening all government primary, secondary, tertiary and super speciality facilities to meet the needs of senior citizens. Mobile clinics and home based care should be made available for those who are not mobile. This should include emergency services, cataract surgery, palliative and rehabilitative services. Elderly also need specialised physiotherapy and fall prevention interventions. Mental health of elderly is a neglected area. Alzheimer, dementia, depression etc. are often undiagnosed and can lead to distress for the individual as well as their family. .(iii) Further, we need free-of-cost essential medicines at all government-run and/or assisted pharmacies.

(3) #Food Security: We demand that the government should create a program for providing one nutritious, hot meal a day to the retired workers delivered to their doorstep or within their living quarters, the food can be provided through government led canteens and community kitchens. 

 

People/Departments responsible for fulfilling these demands:

CM of Karnataka
Health minister and health Department of Karnataka.
BBPM and other Municipal Corporation in Karnataka for Indira Canteen.  
Department of Empowerment of Differently abled and Senior Citizens.
Ministry of Labour and Labour department for recognition as Retired informal workers.  
Unorganised sector social security board.
Ministry of Social Welfare and Department of social welfare.  
Karnataka Food and Civil Supplies Corporation Limited.