Seeking Redressal: Senior citizens at a meeting to highlight their demands in Chennai on October 17. Photo: S.S.Kumar Elderly Self-Help Groups formed in tsunami-hit areas
CHENNAI, Tamil Nadu (The Hindu), October 18, 2007: “My village is free now from the clutches of moneylenders who charge exorbitant interest rates. Several of us senior citizens have formed elderly self-help groups (ESHGs) and we are generating income for three years now,” said R.Valli, a resident of Akkarapettai village in Nagapattinam district. Her village was one of the coastal areas severely affected by the December 2004 tsunami.
With support from non-governmental organisation HelpAge India, senior citizens in three tsunami-affected areas across the State, including Cuddalore and Vedaranyam, have formed the ESHGs. Several members of the groups conducted a rally and organised a meeting in Chennai on Wednesday to create awareness of the rights of the elderly and their demands.
“Each of these ESHGs now has Rs.100,000 savings that is provided as micro-credit to the members,” Ms.Valli added. Representatives from the federation of ESHGs have formed Elders for Elderly Foundation to address issues of concern to the aged people.
S.Subramanian of Nagoor said that the members were involved in various activities for livelihood, including cattle and goat rearing. “The ESHGs must be treated on a par with the other SHGs. The banks must provide short-term credit for the ESHGs,” he said.
Demands: The State Government must provide old age pension to all senior citizens above 65 years as decided by the Union Cabinet under the National Old Age Pension Scheme.
Participants at the meeting also demanded that an Elders’ Welfare Board be set up at the State-level. Besides concession for senior citizens in buses and separate queues at hospitals and banks, they also wanted a health insurance scheme to be introduced.
Geriatric wards and specialists must be provided in district hospitals for the benefit of the rural people, the members added.
Head of tsunami project at HelpAge India Rajeshwar Devarakonda said the NGO had provided Rs.3,500,000 as revolving fund to 426 ESHGs in the tsunami affected areas. Similar groups have also been instituted in Kollam, Kerala. The Elders for Elderly Foundation was taking measures to set up ESHGs in other districts of Tamil Nadu as well.
Copyright © 2007, The Hindu.
