PANAJI
Six months after its launch, the Elderline 14567 helpline -- designed as a critical support system for senior citizens -- has fallen silent. Calls now go unanswered, and government officials seem just as baffled as the public about the abrupt shutdown of the service.
Launched with grand assurances on October 1, 2024, the helpline was intended to be a lifeline for the elderly facing abandonment, abuse, or medical emergencies. The government had promised it would be fully operational within 45 days, but instead, alleged logistical failures and operational roadblocks prevented it from functioning as intended.
Sources revealed to The Goan that its operations have ceased for nearly two weeks.
The call centre, set up through a Memorandum of Understanding between the Directorate of Social Welfare and Alankit Assignments Limited, has been quietly shut down.
Even before its closure, the service struggled with a fundamental flaw: calls were allegedly redirected to a centralized facility in Delhi rather than being handled locally in Goa.
“The officials monitoring the service have no idea what’s happening,” sources further told The Goan, adding, “We knew there were logistical issues and call rerouting problems, but now it’s as if the entire helpline has simply disappeared.”
The helpline was part of the National Helpline for Senior Citizens (NHSC) initiative by the Government of India. Operational from 8 am to 8 pm, it was designed to assist with crises, offer free information, guidance, emotional support, field intervention in cases of abuse, rescue and reunion of homeless elderly.
Under the MoU, Alankit was responsible for integrating various government agencies including the police and welfare departments to ensure seamless assistance. The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, the nodal agency, had collaborated with the UTs/State governments to implement the national initiative.
For now, elderly citizens in distress have only one alternative -- the Goa Police Senior Citizen Helpline, which remains operational at 1090, providing round-the-clock support.
