Telangana’s elderly population projected to reach 17.1% by 2036: UNFPA report

Telangana is taking steps to ensure the wellbeing of its elderly population, with initiatives such as the Elder Spring Response System, Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme, and food distribution during the pandemic. UNFPA's India Ageing Report 2023 reveals that the elderly population in Telangana is projected to rise to 17.1% in 2036.Telangana's elderly population is forecasted to rise to 17.1% in 2036, up from 11% in 2021. Initiatives such as the Elder Spring Response System, Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme, and food distribution during the pandemic are helping to ensure the wellbeing of the elderly. NGOs, corporates, and the Telangana Senior Citizens Service Trust are actively supporting the elderly population.

The anticipated proportion of the elderly population in Telangana is forecast to rise to 17.1% in 2036, a notable increase from the 11% recorded in 2021, according to the India Ageing Report 2023 released by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).

Ageing is defined in terms of chronological age with a cut-off at 60 or 65 years (in part because it broadly coincides with the age at retirement). At the national level, the share of the elderly population is projected to increase from 10.1% in 2021 to 15% in 2036.

The report highlights a consistent and rapid growth in the elderly population across India in recent years, suggesting a sustained trend in the coming decades. This trend is characterised by a substantial increase in the elderly population since 2010, coupled with a decline in the age group below 15 years, indicating a swift ageing process in the country.

The India Ageing Report 2023, reveals that in Telangana the life expectancy at 60 years stands at 17.3 for males and 18.3 for females. Life expectancy at 60 is a measure of the average number of years a person of 60 years can expect to live based on prevailing sex- and age-specific death rates.

Old age vulnerability in Telangana is attributed to various factors, with 14.6% linked to restrictions in daily activities, 30.7% to multi-morbidity, 15.8% to poverty, and 11% to income-related issues. Health-related vulnerability encompasses the potential risk of developing chronic and morbid conditions that diminish physiological and cognitive capabilities, the report stated.

Under Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), Tata Trusts and NSE Foundation have implemented comprehensively in the elder care sector. Their efforts, including a project initiated in Hyderabad in collaboration with Andhra Mahila Sabha (DDMS) in 2019, aim to address the diverse needs of the elderly population with support from Tata Advanced Systems Limited.

The report notes the steps taken by the State to help the elderly. Recognising the necessity for a dedicated helpline for senior citizens, the Elder Spring Response System with the toll-free number 14567 was established in Telangana by the Vijaya Vahini Charitable Foundation, supported by Tata Trusts. The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MOSJE) acknowledged the impact of the helpline in Telangana and decided to expand the programme nationally.