Kerala's 60-plus population has grown from 12.6% in 2011 to 18.7% today. The state's own projections put it near 30% by 2051. India as a whole won't reach that share for decades.
In the first episode of a series on active ageing, Malathi Renati speaks with Dr Praveen Pai, gerontologist and the WHO Global Network's Focal Point for age-friendly Kochi, about what it actually takes to govern for a population living longer rather than simply growing older.
The conversation moves through three layers of government: what the Union has built since 1999, what Kerala has added on top, including a state senior citizen policy; and what Kochi did to become India's first age-friendly city. The key is the design and how the problem is framed: "ageing" and "living longer" are not the same policy problem, and that difference shows up in what actually gets built.
All Things Policy is a daily podcast on public policy brought to you by the Takshashila Institution, Bengaluru. Find out more on our research and other work here: https://takshashila.org.in/research-areas
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