Tamil Nadu government has seeked centre government assistance for its various initiatives to the disabled and for senior cities in the state. Some of which includes, a Rs 112 crore Geriatrics research centre, old age homes and short stay homes for the aged.
Speaking at a conference of all State Welfare Ministers in New Delhi today P Geetha Jeevan, Minister for Social Welfare, Government of Tamil Nadu said that the state government is planning to set up National Centre for Geriatrics Research, having facilities for providing necessary special treatment to elderly and undertaking research regarding old age ailments at a cost of Rs 112 crore in Chennai, with the assistance from the Union Government.
The minister said there are 27 Old Age homes run by the NGOs with financial support from the State Government and 49 Old Age Homes, 17 Multi Service Centres and 6 Mobile Medicare Units run by the NGOs with Government of India grants in our State. The financial assistance for the above schemes has to be enhanced.
The state government has been taking measures to establish Old Age Homes in every district. Lands are being identified in all the districts. As a first step, the government has taken a decision to set up a Model Old Age Home in a 10 Acre site in Kanchipuram district at a cost of Rs five crore.
The minister seeked financial assistance from the Union government to establish Old Age Homes and Short Stay Homes for the Aged in every district, to provide medical and legal assistance to the senior citizens as envisaged in the Act, to set up Help Line and Counseling Centres, to set up Tribunals and to create awareness about the Act and its provisions, said the minister.
She further said, the state government has set up Early Intervention Centres in all the districts for the hearing impaired children and for the children with mental retardation through NGOs. “This has become a successful example of public private partnership”.
Seven Homes for the mentally retarded adults were also opened. A monthly maintenance allowance of Rs 500 is provided to 61,000 persons with mental retardation and severe disability. Besides this, a monthly assistance of Rs 500 is being given to those affected by Muscular Dystrophy. “We request the Government of India to reimburse this amount to the State Government. In addition to the above, the Government of Tamil Nadu has been giving pension to a lakh of destitute physically handicapped persons at a rate of Rs 400 per month,” said the minister.