HT Correspondent, Hindustan Times
New Delhi, March 23, 2010
In a major relief to elderly people in the capital, Delhi government
on Monday decided to provide old age pension to one lakh additional
senior citizens.
Of the total amount of Rs 476.5 crore allocated to the social welfare
sector in the Delhi Budget 2010-11, Rs 420 crore is proposed for old
age pension as against last year's Rs 310 crore.
At present, old age pension of Rs 1,000 per month is given to 2.5 lakh
senior citizens. Walia said that about 3,950 persons have benefited
under the government's plan to provide free aids and appliances to
persons with disabilities.
"Government is committed to provide social security to senior citizens
and other vulnerable groups of the society. We have decided to provide
old age pension to one lakh more senior citizens next year," Finance
Minister AK Walia said presenting the Budget for 2010-11.
Government has decided to have more camp-based programmes all over
Delhi and provide free aids and appliances to the disabled. Nine
Tribunals under Senior Citizens Maintenance Act has been set up for
timely disposal of grievances of senior citizens.
The Finance Minister accepted that the Asha Kiran Home, which houses
mentally challenged people, is facing problems of overcrowding and
shortage of staff.
"We have started recruitment of specialist doctors, nurses, ayas and
safai karmacharis. A special ward is being created in Ambedkar
hospital for exclusive treatment of patients from Asha Kiran. A team
of doctors from the Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences
(IHBAS) would periodically examine the inmates and maintain individual
medical records," he said.
Walia also said that the government in partnership with NGOs will open
and run new homes for mentally challenged people.
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