Minister for Welfare of Senior Citizens T. Vanitha on Tuesday promised the establishment of a State Council of Senior Citizens, as stipulated in the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007.
Addressing a meeting organised to mark the World Senior Citizens’ Day in the city, she said geriatric wards had been established in eight district headquarter hospitals exclusively for treating senior citizens. Further, homes for the aged would be set up in each district across the State in view of the increasing number of elders being abandoned by their children.
Providing assistance
She said besides ramps, escalators and wheel chairs were made available at important places to make the lives of senior citizens easy and those suffering from kidney ailments, were given a financial assistance of ₹ 10,000.
‘We too will reach there’
“Senior citizens are a neglected lot in the society today. They are a wealth of experience and knowledge. We can draw on these resources and enrich our own lives,” she said “We may be young and healthy today, but all of us will be where they are today,” she pointed out.
Citing examples of children leaving their aged parents alone in search of greener pastures, the Minister said it was unfortunate that many of them settle abroad and don’t look after their parents even if they were unwell, or in some cases, even in their death.
Missing bond
Growing materialism, she said, and mainly electronic gadgets that keept many children busy, are preventing a healthy bond between children and their parents or grandparents.
She said considering their many problems, Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy had increased old age pension in addition to health initiatives like Kanti Velugu under which free eye tests are conducted and spectacles given to the needy.
‘No one will be abandoned’
The Minister said senior citizens who were abandoned by their own children now had Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy to rely on and the latter is determined to solve their problems and give them a hassle-free life.
Endowments Minister Velampalli Srinivasa Rao, Vijayawada Central MLA Malladi Vishnu, State leaders of Senior Citizens’ Welfare Association Mothukuri Venkateswara Rao and Narayana Murthy attended.
