Senior citizens who are disowned by their children and forced to live in poorly equipped and ill-ventilated old age homes now have a reason to smile with the Tamil Nadu Government planning to set up an ‘eco-friendly’ village for them at the outs kirts of the city.
The proposed village, to come up on 10 acres at Thundalakazhani, is estimated to cost around Rs 4.7 crore, official sources said. About 160 senior citizens will be housed in duplex residential blocks in this village, four to each block.
The village will have all amenities such as banks, ATMs, salons, shops, recreation club, medicare unit and a yoga and meditation centre.
Those who are physically fit would be engaged on a voluntary basis in productive activities like vegetable farming, organic agriculture and cattle rearing. This will not only help keep them engaged, but will also generate income, the sources said.
The plan to set up this village comes after the Government notified the 'Maintenance and welfare of parents and senior citizens Act 2007', seeking to award imprisonment or penalty or both to those who neglect aged parents.
This is the first time that the State Government will set up and manage an old age home. Preference will be given to those who have been abandoned and those belonging to below poverty line. In the initial stage, they would be accommodated in the village free of cost. Later, the Government will consider providing paid accommodation for them, the officials said. – PTI
Source: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/blnus/27191341.html
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