Senior citizens fare better in Chhattisgarh than in Telangana
The study also found that a higher proportion of households in Chhattisgarh had toilets (87%) compared to Telangana (64%).
Hyderabad: Senior citizens in Telangana State have more access to protected water supply compared to Chhattisgarh, according to a report titled ‘Study of the policies and programs for senior citizens in Telangana and Chhattisgarh’ by the National Institute of Rural Development and Panchayat Raj.
But the silver lining ends there. Respondents from Chhattisgarh scored higher than those from Telangana on all other well-being measures. The objective of the study was to map policies, legislations and action plans for the aged and elderly, and the initiatives by the states in this regard.
The study also found that a higher proportion of households in Chhattisgarh had toilets (87%) compared to Telangana (64%).
The study had 480 respondents selected from six villages in each state, a majority of them were in the BPL (below poverty line) category in both states. Total number of senior citizens is higher in Telangana (32.70 lakh) compared to 20.03 lakh in Chhattisgarh.
The proportion of illiterates among the respondents and their spouses was much higher in Telangana than in Chhattisgarh. The Chhattisgarh government has started distributing physical aids and assisted living devices worth Rs 6,900 per person since 2016. Telangana has no such programme.
The study recommended establishing an old age home in each Assembly constituency and creating a separate service centre for the elderly in all major hospitals. While there is currently supposed to be at least one old age home in each district, the report says 31 old age homes were operating in only seven out of 31 districts in Telangana, while 21 old age homes were operating in 14 out of 27 districts in Chhattisgarh.