Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: The Bombay High Court at Goa will take up a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) on January 4, 2026, seeking a comprehensive socio-economic and health survey of senior citizens across the State.
The petition, filed by advocate Moses Pinto, urges the State government to conduct a detailed survey to gather accurate data on the elderly population, which could serve as the basis for well-informed welfare policies. Pinto, who is also a caregiver for his elderly father, had filed the PIL two months ago, emphasizing the need for a scientific study to assess the demographic, health, and social needs of senior citizens.
He requested that the survey results be published and used to formulate evidence-based welfare programs.
The petition highlights that the absence of a thorough state-wide survey has created gaps in policy-making and hindered effective implementation of welfare schemes. Despite the provisions of the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007—which mandates the government to provide old-age homes, medical care, and other welfare measures—Goa has not conducted any comprehensive assessment of the elderly population.
Pinto’s PIL asserts that this long-standing neglect has resulted in poor identification of beneficiaries, insufficient support services, and undue hardship for senior citizens in the State. The hearing on January 4 will determine whether the High Court directs the government to carry out the survey and strengthen welfare measures for the elderly.
