ECONOMIC DEPENDENCY AMONG ELDERLY WOMEN ININDIA : EVIDENCE FROM SECONDARY DATA

World over, population ageing has become an inescapable reality. In India, this phenomena has necessitated attention towards socio-economic conditions of older individuals in general and women in particular. Major aspect of greying population is the economic dependency endured by older women due to gender inequalities experienced along their life-course. This paper is an attempt to examine the causes, extent and consequences of economic dependency among elderly women in India by analyzing secondary data. The study underscores the factors of lower workforce participation, limited asset ownership, high rates of widowhood, and inadequate social security coverage as the reason for older women's disproportional higher economic dependency compared to men. The paper further studies attempts at addressing these vulnerabilities in form of policy responses and coping mechanisms. The findings highlight the need for improved financial inclusion, targeted policy interventions, and gender-sensitive social protection measures for ensuring economic security for elderly women in India.