Haryana Government has decided to train 2,000 care-givers to provide home based care to the elderly and disabled persons in rural and urban areas in the state.
Social Justice and Empowerment Minister, Kavita Jain said that the ambitious project aimed at giving a golden sunset to the elderly while passing on the good values to the next generation and generate employment opportunities.
She said that a proposal to this effect has been approved by Chief Minister Manohar lal.
Initially, 1000 care-givers each for the elderly and the disabled persons would be imparted training in geriatric care. A sum of Rs31 crore has been earmarked to train and give employment to 10,000 persons in care-giving sector during the current financial year.
Jain said that the elderly who have accomplished in their lives often want to share their time, resource, knowledge and skills with the society. However, they are unable to do so because of lack of physical mobility at the right time. With a little bit of assistance they may be able to deliver their skills to others and it may give them a sense of fulfilment, dignity and completeness, he added.
The course for the care-givers has been designed by District Rehabilitation Centre at Bhiwani, which was set up with UN aid and approved for certification by the State Institute of Health and Family Welfare, Panchkula. The course would be partly residential with about 720 hours of course work, theory and practical included.
She said that, the course would cover various general and specific aspects like Youth Sewa Training Programme, Basic Biology like Anatomy and Physiology, Basic English including Written and Spoken English, Basic Communication Skills, Communicative Tasks like Health Terminology among others.
Jain said that the other courses for Caregivers for the Person with Disabilities ( ), for palliative care, for those suffering from incurable disease, and drug addicts would be designed and got approved for certification.
The State Institute of Research and Training (SIRTAR), Rohtak would be the nodal office for this purpose. Placement would be, for those who can afford to pay, through agencies and it is hoped that the care-givers would easily get upto Rs8000-10000 per month.
The National Backward Classes Finance and Development Corporation (NBCFDC) has shown its willingness to give or get a sum of Rs1.5 crore under Corporate Social Responsibility funds and would itself directly fund the training of the candidates belonging to Backward Classes. The amount will be for financing the training for 600 candidates, said the Minister.
Similarly, under the Special Central Assistance of the State Government, the unspent balance of about Rs26 crore could be used for launching the care-giving training albeit for Scheduled Castes candidates from the State, she added.