NOT TO BE PUBLISHED/BROADCAST/BEFORE  7th July 2008

  Traditional norms and values of Indian Society lay tress on showing respect and provide care for the aged.   However, in the present times, society is witnessing a gradual but definite withering in values as a result of which a large number of aged parents are being neglected by their families.  These elderly persons are facing a lot of problems in the absence of adequate social security.  In order to provide these people a helping hand to lead a respectable life, the Government has come up with a new programme  known as "Integrated Programme for old people".

The principal objective of this scheme is to improve the quality of life of the elder persons by providing them basic amenities like shelter, food, medical care and entertainment opportunities and encourage productive and active ageing. For this, active support for capacity building would be provided through Government/ NGO/ Panchayati Raj Institutions/ local bodies and community at large. Assistance would be provided under this scheme to the Panchayats/ Local bodies and eligible NGOs` to start this programme catering to the basic needs of the destitute elderly and strengthen familial and filial relationships, particularly between children/ youth and older persons.

Under this programme, upto 90 % of the cost of the project indicated in the scheme would be provided by the Government of India and the remaining would be borne by the organization or institution concerned. In case of schools, colleges, educational institutions and recognized youth organizations such as Nehru Yuvak Kendra Sangathan and NSS undertaking the programmes and services for elder persons upto 100 % cost of the project, indicated in the scheme would be provided by the Government.  Assistance would be sanctioned to PRIs/NGOs, Institutions or Organizations set up by the Government as autonomous/ subordinate bodies, government recognized educational institutions, charitable hospitals and recognized youth organizations such as Nehru Yuvak Kendra Sangathans etc. 

The Government would provide grant-in-aid for running and maintaining oldage houses for 25 old persons to provide them food, shelter, health care, recreation facilities etc. free of cost.  In case the old age house is larger in size, the grant-in-aid for maintenance of the house would be sanctioned on proportionate basis. Grant-in-aid is also given to agencies under this programme that have shown a credible track record in running old age house for a minimum of 150 beneficiaries as an additional grant for continuous and respite care for a minimum of 25 elderly persons with mild to severe disability.  Under this scheme recognized charitable hospitals, nursing homes, medical institutions, colleges are eligible for funding to the tune of Rs.7,20,000.  In case the project is larger in size, the grant-in aid for maintenance of such old age home would be sanctioned on proportionate basis.

For providing health-care facilities to the older persons living in slums, rural and inaccessible areas where proper health facilities are not available,  mobile Medicare Units would be provided with provision of  grant-in-aid for them.   The Project aims at enabling senior citizens to assume an active role in maintaining and improving their own health besides encouraging others to do the same.  Each Medicare Unit should cover at least 400 elderly persons per month. An amount of Rs.2,96,000 would be provided as  grant-in-aid under this project and given to agencies that have shown a credible record while working for the sublime cause of elderly people.  This amount would be sanctioned on proportionate basis if the project is larger in size

In order to provide facilities of day-care, health-care, recreation, peer interaction, spiritual programmes, grant-in-aid worth Rs.4,06,000 would be given for a project having about 50 elderly persons.   Similarly, grant-in-aid  upto Rs. 2,96,000 would also be provided to organizations and institutions for mental health care and specialized care for the elderly persons, help-lines and counseling centres for older persons, awareness generation programme for elderly persons, multi facility care centres for destitute older women and volunteer bureaus   for the elderly people. Day-care centre for old persons suffering from dementia would be setup for covering 20 old persons per month for which Rs. 1,20,000 would be provided to agencies showing credible track record in maintaining and running old-age home. These endeavours of the State Government would no doubt help elderly persons to lead a respectable life.