HYDERABAD: The TRS government has successfully launched the Aasara pension scheme for the aged, with thousands benefiting from the programme. But, it looks like, due to its popularly the broader issues of old people are being neglected as the number of old age homes in the State are far less than what is mandatory.And what is going to expose the State on this issue is Thursday’s Supreme Court order directing all the States to submit information on the functioning of old age homes.
Currently, there are 17 Central government-aided old age homes in the State under the integrated programme for older persons (IPOP) scheme and all of them, with exception of one in Ranga Reddy district, are located outside the twin cities.And that number, according to the 2016 statistics, puts Telangana at the bottom of the list of States running Centre-aided old age homes
For example, the neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, in contrast, has 40-day Central-government assisted old age homes. As per the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007, the States should have one old age home per district.
These old age homes, which receive up to 90 per cent financial aid from the Centre, besides ensuring welfare of the inmates should also ensure they got the medical facilities, especially the attention of qualified doctors, and other basic facilities.
Dr K Pratap Reddy, a visiting professor at the National Institute of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj (NIRDPR) and a researcher on the status of old age homes, said: “Though the Aasara pension, by and large, is a good initiative, what are being neglected are aspects of care and medical facilities. Monetary aid alone will not be sufficient in many cases. The old age homes will be more beneficial for those in need of such support and facilities.”
Unregistered centres
However, there are many non-registered old age homes in the State, but it is debatable whether such centres are providing proper care as they manage to avoid the vigilance of the department concerned.
Dr Reddy said that there is some form of maintenance and care given at registered old age homes. “In Devarakonda district, when we have conducted a research, we observed that the centre was well maintained and it was also taking good care of the people,” Reddy said. While the State has also been aiding five other old age homes, the fact is that most of the Centre aided homes are availing the allocated funds.