Addressing Old-Age Poverty in India: A Historical Analysis of Welfare Programmes for Older People

India's colonial legacy has profoundly influenced its economic and social development (Vaidyanathan, 2008). At the time of independence, around 86% of the population was illiterate, life expectancy was between 31 and 32 years, and nearly 85% lived in rural areas, relying on low-productivity agricultural techniques (Dyson, 2018; Government of India, 2022; Vaidyanathan, 2008). However, significant improvements in health and education have been achieved in the post-independence period. It is estimated that by 2050, 20.8% of India's population (approximately 347 million) will be aged 60 or above, a sharp rise from 10.5% (149 million) in 2022 (IIPS and UNFPA, 2023).

This study uses household consumption expenditure data from Wave 1 (2017-18) of the Longitudinal Aging Study in India (LASI) to analyse the prevalence of poverty among diverse groups of older people, based on factors such as caste, gender, educational status, marital status, place of residence etc. The findings indicate that older individuals from lower castes, women, those with low levels of education, the divorced and separated, rural residents etc. experience higher rates of poverty. Although India has the world’s second-largest older population, the union (national) government has yet to adequately address the issues faced by older people. Over the past three decades, India has recorded rapid economic growth, but this has not resulted in improvements in social security for older people (Rani et al., 2024). Moreover, the union government’s contributions to social pensions and healthcare for older people have stagnated over the past decade, creating a significant economic burden on state (sub-national) governments. To better understand the union government's response to old-age poverty, this study conducts a historical analysis of welfare initiatives for older people, tracing developments from independence to the present. It highlights the shift from a welfare-based approach to a more neoliberal model of welfare programmes in India.