Agewell Foundation's Press Release on General Budget 2015-16

“Really a welcome budget for Older Persons”  – Agewell Foundation

New Delhi, 28th February, 2015: Agewell Foundation an NGO working for the welfare and empowerment of older persons across the country, on behalf of millions of older people of India has appreciated the general budget 2015-16 presented by the Finance Minister Mr. Arun Jaitley. The Foundation has especially welcomed the centre’s approval for long-standing demand of setting upSenior Citizens Welfare Fund for older persons, which will be created out of unclaimed Public Provident Fund initially. The Foundation has also praised the Union budget for older persons-friendly announcements like initiating Atal Pension Plan for poor elderly, widening medical insurance cover to senior citizens and other elderly friendly provisions.

Needless to say, Agewell Foundation had been advocating for setting up a National Fund for the Aged for a long period. Advocating for similar issues and garnering support for these causes, Agewell Foundation had also sent representations / suggestions / recommendations to various concerned ministries and departments of Government of India regarding Older Persons friendly policies and schemes from time to time.

Appreciating the budget announcements, Himanshu Rath, Founder Chairman, Agewell Foundation, said,“So far as older persons are concerned, for the first time Government of India has really done something remarkable in the budget. Every section of older persons, particularly underprivileged and destitute will certainly get much more from this budget. With the provisions like Atal Pension Yojna financial security will be ensured for millions of old people and their family members. In view of ever-increasing population of older persons, government's focus on welfare and empowerment of older persons is laudable."


Agewell Foundation
Agewell Foundation is a not-for-profit NGO, working for the welfare and empowerment of older persons across the country since 1999. Agewell has set up a two-tier network of over 7500 primary and 80000 secondary volunteers spread across 640 districts of India and interacts with over 25000 older persons on daily basis through its volunteers’ network. Recognizing the work being done by Agewell Foundation ECOSOC has granted Special Consultative Status to Agewell Foundation at United Nations.  It has been granted Associate NGO status by Department of Public Information, United Nations (UN-DPI). Agewell has also been member of Working Groups and Steering Committees on Social Sector for Xth, XIth and now the XIIth Five-Year-Plan of Planning Commission of India since 2002.

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