NGOs receive Rs 5.53 cr for providing old age facilities

New Delhi, July 13 (UNI) The Government gave Rs. 5.53 crore to 289 NGOs under the scheme of Integrated Programme for Older Persons from April to December 2005.

The grant has been provided by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment to these NGOs for running 223 Old Age Homes, 151 Day Care Centres and 31 Mobile Medical Care Units across the country.

The maximum assistance of Rs. 37.58 lakh was given to Helpage India from Delhi, followed by West Bengal SCs, STs&Minorities Welfare Association, Midnapur which was provided Rs. 9.31 lakh.

Under the scheme for Integrated Programme for Older Persons, financial assistance upto 90 per cent of the project cost is given to NGOs for establishing and maintaining old age homes, day care centres, mobile medical units and to provide non-institutional services to older persons.

The scheme has been made flexible so as to meet diverse needs of older persons including reinforcement and strengthening of the family, awareness generation on issues pertaining to older persons, popularization of the concept of life long preparation for old age, facilitating productive aging etc.

During 2004-05, 444 NGOs were granted Rs. 15.68 crore for running 338 Old Age Homes, 241 Day Care Centres, 45 Mobile Medical Care Unit and two Non-Institutional Service Centres benefiting more than 55 thousand older persons.

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