Help for senior citizens
Help for older people in Telangana in one place: the helpline, free treatment from 70, the pension, the life certificate, priority at banks, the savings scheme, maintenance from children, and train travel, each with the guide or office to go to.
About this guidePending verification
Published on 12-11-2026. Not every fact has been checked against its official source yet: confirm at the office.
For whom: People in Telangana aged 60 or more, and family members who look after them.
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1Your situation
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- How old is the person this help is for?
- Is their pension paid into a bank account?
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Each step below says who it is for. Confirm yours at the office, then change your answer here.
2Documents you need
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3Your steps
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- Do this now
For any problem, first call Elderline on 14567, free of charge.
It is the National Helpline for Senior Citizens, run by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. It gives information on government schemes, guidance and emotional support.
Not confirmed
The government releases we read do not give Elderline's hours or languages.
Sources: 1, 2
- Do this nowIf: 70 / More than 70
Everyone aged 70 or more, whatever their income, gets free treatment in Aarogyasri hospitals under the Ayushman Vay Vandana scheme.
Enrol on beneficiary.nha.gov.in, or have the enrolment completed at the hospital. Aadhaar is used for the age. Full details are in the "Health card" guide.
Open the official pageSources: 3
- Do this now
In Telangana the old-age pension is part of the Cheyutha pensions, run by SERP.
Who qualifies and how to apply: see the "Old-age pension" guide.
Open the official pageSources: 4
- Do this nowIf: Yes
If the pension is paid into a bank, the life certificate can be given at any branch of that bank, not only your own.
That branch must record it at once so the pension is not held up. How to give it: see the "Life certificate" guide.
Sources: 5
- Do this now
At the bank, ask for the senior citizens' counter: RBI rules say there must be a dedicated counter, or one that gives senior citizens priority.
Your account must turn into a "senior citizen account" by itself, from the date of birth in the bank's records. The bank must not insist that you come in person for a cheque book. RBI rules also ask banks to try to offer doorstep banking to people with a medically certified chronic illness or disability, including those who cannot see.
Not confirmed
These rules are for commercial banks; regional rural, small finance and payments banks have their own rules, which we did not read. If your account is in one of those, ask at the branch.
Sources: 5
- Do this nowIf: More than 70
People over 70 can ask their bank for doorstep banking: picking up cash and cheques, bringing cash withdrawals and drafts home, and taking KYC documents and the life certificate at home.
The bank must publish on its website which branches offer this, and the charges.
Sources: 5
- Do this now
Post offices and banks run the Senior Citizens' Savings Scheme (SCSS) for people aged 60 or more; some retired people can join earlier.
The rules and how to open an account: see the "Senior Citizens' Savings Scheme" guide.
Sources: 11, 12
- Do this now
If children or relatives do not look after you, you can apply to the Maintenance Tribunal under the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007.
In Telangana the Tribunal is the Revenue Divisional Officer (RDO) of your division. Telangana's rules say the Tribunal must decide within 90 days of receiving the application (30 days more, once, in exceptional cases). How to apply: see the "Maintenance from children" guide.
Sources: 1, 9, 10
- Do this now
The senior citizens' concession on train tickets was stopped from 20 March 2020.
The Railway Minister's reply of March 2026 lists extra concessions only for persons with disabilities, patients and students. But senior citizens are given a lower berth automatically, even if they do not ask, when one is free, and each coach has some lower berths set aside for senior citizens, women over 45 and pregnant women. If you get a middle or upper berth, a lower berth that falls vacant during the journey is given to you on priority.
Sources: 7, 8
If something goes wrong
If it is rejectedIf a bank refuses the senior citizens' counter or the like, first complain to the bank in writing and keep the complaint number.
If a bank refuses the senior citizens' counter or the like, first complain to the bank in writing and keep the complaint number. If there is no reply in 30 days, or you are not satisfied, complain free of charge to the RBI Ombudsman on cms.rbi.org.in (within 90 days after that). On 14448 they explain how to complain, in Telugu too.
RBI Ombudsman (CMS portal) · Open the official page
Sources: 6, 5
If it is rejectedIf a bank refuses the senior citizens' counter, doorstep services or the like, first complain to the bank in writing and keep the complaint number.
If a bank refuses the senior citizens' counter, doorstep services or the like, first complain to the bank in writing and keep the complaint number. If there is no reply in 30 days, or you are not satisfied, complain free of charge to the RBI Ombudsman on cms.rbi.org.in (within 90 days after that). On 14448 they explain how to complain, in Telugu too.
RBI Ombudsman (CMS portal) · Open the official page
Sources: 6, 5
If it is lateIf the pension is delayed because the bank did not record the life certificate you gave, complain to the bank in writing.
If the pension is delayed because the bank did not record the life certificate you gave, complain to the bank in writing. If it is not settled in 30 days, complain to the RBI Ombudsman.
RBI Ombudsman (CMS portal) · Open the official page
Sources: 6, 5
Official websites for this work
- Ayushman Bharat (NHA) Ayushman card and beneficiary details
- RBI Ombudsman Complain about a bank
Related guides
- Free hospital treatment: Aarogyasri and Ayushman Bharat
- Old-age pension (Cheyutha)
- Senior Citizens' Savings Scheme (SCSS)
- Opening a bank account (Jan Dhan / zero-balance account)
- Post office savings account, and India Post Payments Bank account
- Pensioner's life certificate (Jeevan Pramaan)
- When children do not look after you: maintenance and protection
The 12 official pages and papers this guide is written from
- Long-term care infrastructure for senior citizensPress Information Bureau, Government of India (Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment), Paragraphs on Elderline (14567: free information, guidance and emotional support) and on the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007 (Maintenance Tribunals and Appellate Tribunals) (03-02-2026) · read on 30-10-2026
- Elderly in India: Population, Challenges, and Government InitiativesPress Information Bureau, Government of India (PIB Backgrounder), "Elderly Helpline": National Helpline for Senior Citizens, toll-free 14567 (Elderline), Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, launched 1 October 2021 (28-10-2025) · read on 30-10-2026
- Circular No.56/AB-PMJAY-RAHCT/NHA/2025, 29-03-2025: Implementation of Vay Vandana Scheme for Senior Citizens (70 Years & Above) under the converged scheme of AB-PMJAY – Rajiv AarogyasriRajiv Aarogyasri Health Care Trust, Government of Telangana, Guidelines 1–5: 70 and above, whatever the economic status; benefits as AB PM-JAY – Rajiv Aarogyasri; Aadhaar for the age; enrolment on beneficiary.nha.gov.in, completed during the hospital visit. Opened from the Trust website's News & Events list. The circular is a scan with no text in it: read by eye from the page image of the saved copy (29-03-2025) · read on 30-10-2026
- SERP: ServicesSociety for Elimination of Rural Poverty (SERP), Rural Development Department, Government of Telangana, Social Security: 'Cheyutha Pensions' · read on 30-10-2026
- Reserve Bank of India (Commercial Banks – Responsible Business Conduct) Directions, 2025 (RBI/DOR/2025-26/170), version updated as on July 1, 2026Reserve Bank of India, Paragraph 3 (applies to commercial banks, not small finance, payments, regional rural or local area banks); Part C, paragraphs 109–120 (banking facilities for senior citizens: dedicated or priority counter, life certificate at any branch of the pension paying bank, cheque books without physical presence, automatic senior citizen account, doorstep banking for those over 70, branch list and charges on the bank's website). The version updated as on October 1, 2026 is published only as a PDF on rbidocs.rbi.org.in, which did not open for us (28-11-2025) · read on 30-10-2026
- Frequently asked questions: Reserve Bank - Integrated Ombudsman Scheme, 2026Reserve Bank of India, Cost-free scheme in force from 1 July 2026; complain to the bank first, then to the RBI Ombudsman after 30 days or an unsatisfactory reply, within 90 days; contact centre 14448 (IVRS 24x7; staff 8 AM to 10 PM, Monday to Saturday, Telugu among the languages) (01-07-2026) · read on 30-10-2026
- Withdrawal of Senior Citizen concessions in Railways to dissuade travel due to COVID-19Press Information Bureau, Government of India (Ministry of Railways), No concession on reserved and unreserved tickets for senior citizens from 00:00 hrs, 20 March 2020 (19-03-2020) · read on 30-10-2026
- Railways does not consider fares as a trade secret… (reply of the Minister for Railways in Lok Sabha)Press Information Bureau, Government of India (Ministry of Railways), Concessions beyond the general subsidy continue for 4 categories of persons with disabilities, 11 of patients and 8 of students; facilities for senior citizens (i) automatic lower berth, subject to availability, (ii) combined lower-berth quota per coach, (iv) vacant lower berths on priority (11-03-2026) · read on 30-10-2026
- Women and Child Welfare: Department for Women, Children, Disabled & Senior CitizensGovernment of Telangana (Telangana State Portal), Department Profile, "Senior Citizens": The Andhra Pradesh Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Rules, 2011; officers of the Department and the State Commissioner, Welfare of Disabled and Senior Citizens · read on 30-10-2026
- G.O.Ms.No.40, 30.12.2022: the Telangana Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Rules, 2011, amendmentDepartment for Women, Children, Disabled and Senior Citizens (Prog.II), Government of Telangana, Amendment 1 (rule 4(4): disposed of within 90 days from receipt of the application; one extension of at most 30 days in exceptional circumstances); the address list ('All the Maintenance Tribunals under the Act / Revenue Divisional Officers / Sub-Collectors'); Form A ('Maintenance Tribunal (RDO) Office'); the forms headed 'The Court of the Maintenance Tribunal, Sub Divisional Magistrate & Revenue Divisional Officer'. Read from the Internet Archive's copy of 22 January 2026: wdsc.telangana.gov.in did not resolve on 2026-10-30, from outside India or from Hyderabad (30-12-2022) · read on 30-10-2026
- Senior Citizens' Savings Scheme, 2019 (G.S.R. 916(E), 12 December 2019), as published by India PostDepartment of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance, Government of India, Para 3(1) (who may open: 60 and over, some retired people earlier); Form-1 (addressed to a post office or bank) (12-12-2019) · read on 30-10-2026
- India Post: Saving Schemes (Senior Citizens Savings Scheme Account details)Department of Posts, Ministry of Communications, Government of India, "View details of Senior Citizens Savings Scheme Account (SCSS)": Eligibility · read on 30-10-2026