The 2011 Census put the elderly population in New Delhi at over 13 lakh. Despite this, the government and civic bodies operate just five homes for the elderly. The Delhi government operates two, with a capacity of 75 residents; and the New Delhi Municipal Council runs two of similar capacity, with a third underway. These homes are meant open only for destitute and infirm persons aged 60 and above, and not suffering from any communicable disease. A large number of seniors, often abandoned by families, are left to fend for themselves.
Most homes in the capital are run by NGOs, with several getting grants from government agencies. They provide boarding, lodging, medical care and counselling, besides recreational facilities and rehabilitation programmes. A senior government official said that the government also now provides grants for over 80 recreational centres for the elderly across Delhi. “The aim is to provide a place for relaxation and socialisation, so that the elderly are not seen as a problem in the daytime when family members go to work.”
