Elderly centers in municipalities: Tummala

Minister for Women, Child Development and physically challenged welfare Tummala Nageshwar Rao today directed the officials concerned to set up a centre specially for old aged persons on the lines of “Day Care Centers” in every municipal area in the district. The officials were asked to issue guidelines to every office in the districts to ensure that elderly persons should be given due respect.

The minister conducted a state-level meeting on senior citizens on the welfare of the old aged persons here and asked health, transport,  municipality and police to take steps to their welfare and well-being and address their issues. The minister stressed the need for addressing the health and personal problems of elderly persons wherever they reside in all districts through a helpline. The old age persons should be given due respect in all government offices and in society also, he said. A separate center for their welfare should be opened up in every municipality, better health services should be made available besides providing concession in RTC buses.

In addition to three old age homes of the government NGOs running 17 such homes with Central funds and the State government will provide funds for setting up more such centers in the districts, he said. Every government office, including police stations should give respect to them and address their issues without delay, Rao said. The officials should take necessary measures in this regard, he directed. The minister favoured health services at the old age homes and police officials should address their problems if they visit the police stations.

Stating that 13,39,640 old aged persons out of 32,69,579 are getting pensions in the State and it is time to set up separate committees in all districts on the lines of State council. (NSS