Govt to develop portal for employment seeking senior citizens

New Delhi, Oct 1 : The Union government is all set to develop a job portal for senior citizens.

The portal named, 'Senior Able Citizens for Re Employment in Dignity' (SACRED), will bring the employment seeking senior citizens and providers on one platform.

The aim is to devise ways to ensure senior citizens live healthy, happy, empowered, dignified and self-reliant, says the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.

An amount of Rs 10 crore would be provided for funding for the platform development along with maintenance grant of Rs two crore per year for five years.

Similarly, an amount of Rs 10 crore would be spent annually for publicity about the portal in various business enterprises.

According to the ministry, an individual senior citizen will get himself registered on the portal with his relevant education, past experience, skills and the areas of interest.

The person will also select keywords regarding expected tasks, which will enable the job providers to find them automatically.

"Any job provider - individual, firm, company, partnership, and voluntary organisation-- can also register on the portal. The job provider will specify the task involved and the number of senior citizens that are required to complete it," the ministry said.

Voluntary organisations will help the senior citizens in applying for these jobs and no user charges will be taken from any of the senior citizens by any voluntary organisations.

"Therefore, the Employment Portal will serve not only the senior citizens seeking employment, but also the employers, the Self Help Groups (SHGs), the senior citizens gaining skills, and other agencies or individuals," the ministry said.

The ministry, however, clarifies that the 'Employment Exchange Portal' will not be a guarantee for getting a job or employment or selling of the products of the SHGs, or for any other activity.

"It will act as an interactive platform where stakeholders meet each other virtually and decide on the course of action with mutual respect, consent and understanding. Web portal will be developed through NIC. There will be adequate publicity both among elders and enterprises to enroll on the portal," it said.