Hyderabad: The state govt on Saturday introduced the Telangana Employees Accountability and Monitoring of Parental Support Bill, 2026, in the assembly. The proposed legislation seeks to mandate salary deductions from employees—across govt and private sectors—as well as elected representatives like MLAs and MPs, if they neglect and fail to support their parents. Nominated members and elected representatives of local bodies will also come under the ambit of the new bill.“The objective of this Bill is to enable dependent parents to seek apportionment of up to 15% of their employees’ total gross monthly salary or Rs 10,000, whichever is less to meet their basic needs in old age. This will ensure ageing parents do not face difficulties in meeting their basic needs like food, clothing, shelter and medical expenses,” the govt said.Under the proposed framework, senior citizens who are neglected by their children can file an application before the district collector, who has been designated as the competent authority. Applicants must clearly state the reasons for seeking apportionment, along with details of their income from all sources and their financial condition.The collector is required to dispose of such petitions within 60 days of receipt, after hearing both the parent and the employee, and pass an order specifying the amount to be deducted.The deducted amount will be directly credited to the parent’s bank account, ensuring a steady and monitored support mechanism. Significantly, the Bill extends eligibility not only to biological parents but also to step-parents, provided they are unable to maintain themselves.Commission to handle appealsTo strengthen the enforcement mechanism, the bill proposes the creation of a senior citizen commission to handle appeals against the collector’s orders or delays in disposal.The commission will be headed by a chief commissioner, a retired high court judge, and will include two members with experience in administration, govt or the social sector. It will be vested with quasi-judicial powers, including the authority to conduct inquiries, summon witnesses and impose penalties.The govt underlined that parents form an inseparable part of the family system and have a legitimate claim to live with dignity, including financial security from their children. It emphasised that the law seeks to translate moral responsibility into enforceable accountability.BOXHyderabad: The proposed legislation draws inspiration from Assam’s PRANAM (Parents Responsibility and Norms for Accountability and Monitoring) Act, 2017, which provides for salary deductions ranging from 10% to 15% in cases where employees neglect their parents.At the national level, the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007, empowers tribunals to order monthly maintenance of up to Rs 10,000 and cancel gift deeds in cases of neglect. Telangana had also amended its rules in 2011 to allow eviction of children from the property of senior citizens in cases of ill-treatment or failure to provide care.
