Old Age Home under Public-Private-Partnership coming up in Vizag district

Visakhapatnam: The Department of Women and Child Welfare, Department for Empowerment of Differently-Abled and Senior Citizens is all set to establish three old age homes in the State under Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) in Visakhapatnam, Guntur and Anantapur districts to accommodate 100 inmates in each home.

The GO Ms No. 25 issued on June 18 by Principal Secretary Poonam Malakondaiah stated that the Director, Department for Empowerment of Differently-Abled and Senior Citizens, has furnished Rs 46.65 lakh expenditure per annum for maintenance of each old age home.

It stated that of the total estimated expenditure to run the home, the State government will bear Rs 17.68 lakh to meet the expenditure and the remaining by the private partner per annum.

The government will bear the expenditure of salaries or honorarium to staff while the NGO willing to run the home will bear the expenditure of food charges, clothing, oil, soaps, medicines, building rent and other miscellaneous expenditure.

The District Collectors concerned were assigned the responsibility of identifying suitable NGO/CSR Initiative by Corporates/ Trust/Senior Citizens’ Association willing to tie-up with the government.

Furthermore, the government will sanction Rs 5.50 lakh once in three years to the NGO running the home to purchase furniture, utensils, television and other things which are to be replaced once in every three years.

It was also specified that a superintendent from the government department and a social worker, nurse, cook, sweeper, chowkidar and a doctor (all from outsourcing) should be deployed to oversee the functioning as per the guidelines of Government of India’s Integrated Programme for Older Persons Scheme.

The NGO shall bear the recreation expenditure like purchase of books, magazines, newspapers, outings, religious and cultural programmes and games like caroms, chess and cards besides the indirect expenditure of power and water bills, stationery, postage and maintenance of furniture.

When contacted, Assistant Director, Department for Empowerment of Differently-Abled and Senior Citizens P Venkateswara Rao told The Hans India on Wednesday that they were inviting interested NGOs, corporate bodies, voluntary organisations and Senior Citizens’ Associations willing to work with the government to run the home.

He informed that interested parties could submit proposals in the prescribed application forms available with the department located on the premises of Rani Chandramani Devi Hospital, Peda Waltair and Visakhapatnam before July 30.

After short listing the names of NGOs, the Collector will find a suitable NGO and recommend to the government, he added.
Venkateswar Rao said that the government will later issue necessary guidelines for admission and maintenance of the home.