“Do not despair, our government will take care of you and protect you,” was the assurance given by Social Welfare Minister P Valarmathi, to an estimated 5.8 million elderly persons in the State, at a State-level programme held here on Monday, to commemorate International Day of Older Persons.
“Your family members might have deserted you for various reasons, but the State government led by Chief Minister Jayalalithaa will not,” she told a large gathering of elderly persons who had assembled on the occasion. The CM had issued an order to establish integrated centres for elders and children in each union in the State, that would be maintained by NGOs, she said.
The State government had introduced Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, to help older persons who are deserted. Out of the 1,053 petitions received from parents since 2009, 253 petitioners had received maintenance from their sons. A district-level committee under the Collector had been established to deal with such cases, Valarmathi said.
Collector P Shankar said youngsters did not think it was their obligation to take care of the aged. He appealed to youngsters to take care of their parents.
Minister for Backward and Minority Welfare Mohamed John underlined the need for youngsters to learn the importance of aged persons. TN was the only State in the country that was taking care of the deserted aged persons in a special way, he said.
Xavier Christo Nayagam, Director, department of social welfare spoke on the occasion. NGOs — Sevalaya in Tiruvallur district and Saranalaya Karunai Illam in Vellore district — and two persons, Bageerathi Ramamoorthy of Tiruvallur district and V Akber Sherif of Vellore district received awards from Valarmathi, for outstanding services rendered towards aged persons. Twelve aged persons in their 90s were honoured. A health camp for them was also held.
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