Bhubaneswar: Odisha performs poorly when it comes to providing social security to the elderly workforce in informal sector, which is one of the lowest in the country.
Around 37.3 per cent of the state’s elderly population are currently working, which is slightly above the national average of 35.7 per cent, according to an analysis of Longitudinal Aging Study of India (LASI) Wave I report by the Centre for Youth and Social Development in its study ‘Emergent Odisha: Demography and Development’.
“However, only 5.5 per cent of them are covered under any work-related social insurance scheme — one of the lowest in the country,” it said. Additionally, 46 per cent of the elderly in the state have had no schooling, while only 23.7 per cent have completed secondary schooling or above.
Among elderly women, a huge 82 per cent are economically dependent, either fully or partially, on others, compared to 54 per cent of men, the report said.
The labour participation rate among the elderly in the state is relatively high, with many continuing to work out of financial necessities. However, most of their work occurs in informal sectors and low-paying jobs, making it difficult for them to meet basic needs, it said.
“This economic scenario, characterised by low wages and insecure employment, significantly contributes to the perpetuation of poverty levels among the elderly in Odisha. The link between low wages, unstable job security and poverty translates into fighting social and economic burdens.”
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The majority of the elderly in the state comes from the informal sector, yet only 35.7 per cent of them have access to IGNOAP (Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension) scheme of the government and 38.4 per cent have access to widow pension as per the LASI Wave I report. There were a total of 3.6 million elderly pensioners in Odisha covered under the MBPY (Madhu Babu Pension Yojana), according to the Social Security and Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (SSEPD) department of the state government.
Additionally, 2.03 million elderly beneficiaries were enrolled in the NSAP (National Social Assistance Programme).
PNN
