'Senior-citizen-friendly' certification for government offices; Govt to introduce new scheme

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Government offices and institutions in the state will adopt a senior-citizen-friendly approach following a new initiative. Certification will be awarded for compliance with the rules.

This is the first such initiative in the country, and the order was issued by the State Department of Senior Citizen Welfare.

Once the scheme is fully implemented, requirements such as step-free access, ground-floor restrooms, priority queues, and designated officials to assist senior citizens will become mandatory for all offices and institutions.

Certifications will be awarded in three categories: Gold, Silver, and Bronze. A plaque and a digital certificate featuring a QR code will be awarded, and the names of the recipients will be included in a public registry. Offices achieving 'Gold' certification will receive priority in schemes under the 'Silver Economy' initiative.

To facilitate the certification process during the remaining six months of the current financial year, one office will be established in each district. Independent agencies will be empanelled to determine scores. A state-level steering committee exists to approve the criteria and decide on the 'Gold' awards.

In the second year, the initiative will be expanded statewide to include Village, Taluk, and Collectorate offices, treasuries, RTOs, and government hospitals. From the third year onwards, the scheme will extend to other offices as well. Private hospitals, nursing homes, and pharmacies can obtain the certification upon payment of a fee.

Certification Process

1. Scores are awarded based on five excellence criteria: accessibility to the building (30%), service delivery (25%), staff training and behaviour (20%), information dissemination (15%), and stakeholder participation (10%).

2. A 'Gold' rating is awarded if the total score exceeds 85% and the score in any single category is not less than 60%. A 'Silver' rating is awarded for scores between 70% and 84%, and a 'Bronze' rating for scores between 60% and 69%