About 100 people, mostly male, are living in four old age homes in Jammu region while there is none in the Kashmir valley, Minister Incharge Social Welfare Sajjad Gani Lone told the Legislative Council.Mr Gani replied to a question by Naresh Kumar Gupta.
The Minister said the state has law relating to maintenance and welfare of parents and senior Citizens Act 2014 and efforts are afoot for its implementation.He said,”provision for establishment of two old age homes by the government has been kept one in each (Kashmir-Jammu) division with intake capacity of 150 inmates per home.” However, four old age homes are run by Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) of Jammu division.’Home for Old Aged and Infirm’ at Ambphalla, Jammu houses 50 persons, including 16 women while ‘Jagrati Old Aged Home’ Udhampur houses four women.The reply said Home for Old Aged and Infirm Kathua has 30 inmates, including seven women while Old Aged Home Akhnoor 11 including three women.
He said as per the act, a provision for medical care of Senior Citizens has been kept which largely include beds, separate queues, treatment of chronic/terminal and degenerative diseases, research activities and earmarked facilities for feriatric patients in every hospital. Meanwhile, pensioners scheme for old age persons are in vogue, with full swing.
The reply said there is no proposal under the consideration of the government for establishing stay home for old age, senior citizens against payments by way of PPP mode.
