The State government has sanctioned establishment of 10 rehabilitation homes for mentally ill persons, covering 30 districts other than Vellore and Tiruvannamalai.
A reputed non-governmental organisation will run each home with a sanctioned strength of 50 inmates.
The government will provide financial support of Rs.10 lakh for each home, according to an order issued by the Welfare of Differently Abled Persons Department a few days ago.
In the case of Vellore and Tiruvannamalai, a home being run by an NGO in Tirupathur has been approved.
An announcement in this regard was made by Finance Minister K. Anbazhagan while presenting the State budget in March.
As for the selection of NGOs for the proposed homes, a senior official says the District Collectors will carry out the selection on the basis of guidelines to be issued by the State Commissioner for Differently Abled.
Chennai, Cuddalore, Tiruvarur, Tuticorin, Ramanathapuram, Coimbatore, Erode, Tiruchi, Salem and Madurai will be the areas where the homes will be set up.
Chennai will take care of the neighbouring districts of Tiruvallur and Kancheepuram. Likewise, Cuddalore will cover Villupuram and Ariyalur; Tiruvarur – Thanjavur and Nagapattinam; Tuticorin – Tirunelveli and Kanyakumari; Ramanathapuram – Sivaganga and Virudhunagar; Coimbatore – Tirupur and The Nilgiris; Erode – Namakkal and Karur; Tiruchi – Pudukottai and Perambalur; Salem – Dharmapuri and Krishnagiri, and Madurai – Theni and Dindigul.
