State to take single elders into its arms

Ongole: The State government is going to introduce another flagship programme in the State. It intends to set up one old- age home in each of the Assembly constituency in the next financial year.

According to the recent Smart Pulse Survey, there are about 10,000 single and old male and female people in the villages in each constituency in the State.

As they have no family to take care of them, the government wants to ensure the necessary protection to them. It will provide accommodation and medical services by setting up an old-age home in each Assembly constituency.

The department of Women and Child Welfare was asked to conduct a survey in the villages to identify the number of `single’ elders who immediately needs care and protection by the government.

Eluri Sambasiva Rao, MLA of Parchur Assembly constituency said, “There are about 5 to 10 thousand people in each village who have lost all of their family members and no one to take care of them.

So the government wants to provide shelter and take care of them. The women and children welfare department will take the responsibility of these homes and provide necessary services to them.”

At present, the government is providing pension of Rs 1,000 to nearly 20.70 lakh elders in the State and disbursing more than Rs 200 crore every month. In order to save the bill and provide necessary services to the single old people, the government wants to setup one home for a maximum of 50 people in each constituency.

Requesting anonymity, a senior official in the women and child welfare department said, “The homes would start with 50 people at first. The department would provide a care taker, three to four assistants to take care the needs of the old people.

The local health centers and government hospitals provide in house regular medical checkups. The home facility would be provided to the people who are single and there are no relatives or family members to take care of them.”

The official says that the government would introduce the service from the next financial year. He said, “Some of the committee members want the government siege the pension being given to the old, if they want to reside in the home.

But we do not expect the government would be in favor of the proposal. After finalizing the total number of homes required in the state, they would introduce them in the budget proposals and start from April.”