Supporting the elderly

Papad making is an area where the elderly can be employed

Nitin Desai’s article, “Universal basic income or social security” (July 18), lays down the debate in a focused way. He is right when he says that at present individuals cope with unemployment, large health expenditure, old age and other emergencies by falling back on traditional systems. This vulnerable section of the population, which includes the widows living in Varanasi and Vrindavan, needs immediate care.

The department of social welfare could be entrusted with designing financially sustainable schemes for the elderly in these two cities. Nothing makes people prouder in their old age than to be able to support themselves. They have