Himachal Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Dhani Ram Shandil on Tuesday said that the State Government was implementing the ‘Himachal Pradesh Maintenance of Parents and Dependents Act’, wherein, it has been made mandatory for children to look after their aged parents and other dependents or pay a maintenance allowance.
He added that SDMs have been declared as the Nodal Officers for overseeing its implementation. Under this, complainants can simply go to a Sub Divisional Magistrate to seek redressal of their grievances and can get maintenance allowance upto Rs 5,000 per month and till date more than 250 persons have availed benefit under the Act, he said.
Shandil said that under the ‘Integrated Policy for Older Persons’ the Government has opened four Old Age Homes at Bhangrutu in district Mandi, Kalath in District Kullu and Darri in District Kangra besides the Old Age Home at Basantpur in District Shimla with an intake capacity of more than 115 persons.
He said the Government has decided to develop 25 per cent of the capacity at Basantpur Old age Home only for the specially abled and infirm in the entire State. Having created 3 Special Homes for the adult mentally retarded persons at Kalath (60 females), Chowari (10 males and 20 females) and Nahan (20 males), the adult inmates from all the present Homes, Nari Sadans and other Asharms will gradually be shifted in these Special Homes, he said.
The Minister said that in addition to this, State Government has also been supporting 11 Day Care Centres in various districts and Counseling Centres at Shimla and Kullu. During the previous year, the Government had spent Rs 47.89 lakh for supporting the Old Age Homes however, for current year a provision of Rs 92 lakh has been made. In addition to this, Rs 20.54 lakh and Rs 3.09 lakh have been spent on Day Care and Counseling Centres respectively, he added.
Shandil said that the Government has also issued Old Age Identity Cards to 1,97,876 persons so as to help them avail benefits under various welfare schemes.