'Commission will provide legal aid to protect rights of elderly'

The Kerala Assembly has on March 19 passed the Kerala State Elderly Commission Bill, 2025, which allows the government to set up an Elderly Commission to protect the rights of the senior citizens and promote their welfare. In a conversation with K A SHAJI, the state's Minister for Higher Education and Social Justice R BINDU shares the mission of the country's first such commission. Excerpts:

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What influenced your decision to propose the establishment of the Elderly Commission?

Eight years ago, S Irudaya Rajan [from the Centre for Development Studies in Thiruvananthapuram] conducted a study in the Kumbanad region in Pathanamthitta district. His research revealed a stark reality: elderly people live in challenging conditions due to the emigration of younger members of their families in search of employment and improved living conditions. As the trend is widespread now, a significant number of elderly across the state live in isolation, often with only pets for company. The latest census indicates that the elderly constitute 12.6 per cent of the state's population. By 2030, the elderly will constitute 25 per cent of the state's population. Then there is feminisation of ageing. Since women have a greater life expectancy than men, many elderly women find themselves alone and widowed, frequently lacking income and possessing minimal assets, thereby relying on family for assistance. Hence, elderly care requires immediate attention and effective solutions.

Several such programmes introduced in the past have largely failed to yield the intended outcomes. What makes you optimistic about the effectiveness of the proposed commission?