Help for older people in Telangana in one place: the helpline, free treatment over 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.
For whom: People in Telangana aged 60 or more, and family members who look after them.
Published on 30-10-2026. Not every fact has been checked against its official source yet: confirm at the office.
For everyone
1.
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.
📞 Elderline (National Helpline for Senior Citizens)
💰 Fee: Free
Not confirmed: The government releases we read do not give Elderline's hours or languages.
Only if
How old is the person this help is for? 70 or older
2.
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.
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.
🏦 At the bank
For everyone
5.
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.
🏦 At the bank
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.
Only if
How old is the person this help is for? 70 or older
6.
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.
🏦 At the bank
💰 Fee: The charge the bank publishes on its website
For everyone
7.
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.
🏛️ Post office or bank
8.
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. The Act says the tribunal must decide within 90 days of the notice reaching the children or relatives (30 days more in exceptional cases). How to apply: see the "Maintenance from children" guide.
🏛️ Maintenance Tribunal
Not confirmed: The Telangana department website that would say which office is the tribunal for your area did not open for us. Ask at the District Collectorate, or call Elderline on 14567.
9.
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.
✋ You do this yourself
If something goes wrong
If it is rejected
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.
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.