File picture of the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court today sought the Centre's response on a PIL seeking setting up of old age homes with basic healthcare facilities across the country.
A social justice bench comprising justices Madan B Lokur and UU Lalit issued notice to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on the plea and sought its response.
The bench, however, did not issue notice to other respondents including Medical Council of India saying, "Since we are limiting the scope of the petition to setting up of old age homes only, we are issuing notice only to the Health Ministry only."
The PIL, filed by advocate Sanjeeb Panigrahi, said that senior citizens are being deprived of their rights and sought directions to initiate appropriate steps to carry out a survey of old age homes in the country.
"The elderly persons lack the security needed in old age and live with a low social status with increasing reports of financial deprivation, abandonment and humiliation."
"The Union government and various state governments have utterly failed in containing the increasing number of deaths, untold miseries and indignities experienced by the elderly people due to insufficient number geriatrics care centre, social security coverage and old age homes in the country," the PIL said.
It also said that the crimes, including murder, against senior citizens have increased in recent past.
According to an estimate, nearly 40 per cent senior citizens, living with their families, are reportedly facing abuse of one kind or another, but only one in six cases comes to light.