Senior Citizen Issues and Activities

Some Senior Citizens issues were brought to the attention of the Telangana State Government. 1. The State Council for the Senior Citizens is to be re-constituted with the Senior Citizens’ associations (SCA) with proper geographical representation, oldage homes, NGOs, professional bodies and GHMC’s Aasara, while ensuring at the same time that there is a due representation to women among them. It is to be renewed every 2 years. 2. The State Council is to be convened every six months without fail by the Chief Secretary or the Principal Secretary concerned, if the minister concerned is not available. It is to be ensured that all Departments concerned come with periodical reports on the implementation of the Act- 2007. 3. As a matter policy, senior citizens should be treated under two categories: those who are between 60 to 75-80 years and those above 75-80 years. Since the latter by definition are dependent upon others for survival, they deserve prior attention in order to allow them to lead a hassle-free life, whether in the family or in an institution. 4. The Aasara Day Care Centres of GHMC are to be replicated in all municipalities in the State in cooperation with the local senior citizens’ associations and NGOs. 5. Generic medicine shops to be authorised to be open by the SCAs in all municipalities. 6. A full-time Commissioner for the Senior Citizens should be posted with office facilities to be able to convene meetings with the Assistant Directors (ADs) and the representatives of the SCAs. With 3 important tasks among others: To support the observance of 1st October by the SCAs both in Hyderabad and in the districts. Ensure implementation of the decisions of the State Council by all the departments. Mobilise financial support to all the old age homes existing and provide guidance to the operating oldage homes so as to enable them to respect the norms or standards prescribed. The AD visiting an oldage home (OAH) should not ‘inspect’ but guide and support with the support of the SCAs in the neighbourhood. 7. A committee to be formed to study wherever and whenever commercially viable travel concessions can be given to the senior citizens for their transport (surface or air), except intra-town or intra-city commutations. It’s recommendations are to be communicated to the operating agency, whether it is public or private enterprise. 8. In the place of the oft-repeated project of acquiring land, building and managing an OAH in each district, or in the place of the old project of ‘Anurag homes’, all the funds (central and state) should be invested to strengthen the existing ones, to increase their capacity and also leave the management in the hands of the Association and the inmates. 9. The Commissioner of the Dept. should make available on their website a list of the existing and operating oldage homes in the state, district-wise with details of facilities and charges, so that the needy seniors can choose, depending upon their distance, standard of living and affordability. It is advisable to have them in the printed form also. 10. The District Senior Citizens’ Committees should meet more often presided by the District Collector or a Joint Collector or a District Revenue Officer. It’s scope and action can be extended so as to involve them in the implementation of all social welfare programmes in the district. 11. Applications by the citizens for the funds from various departmental schemes of the GoI need not be centralised in the State secretariat in Hyderabad, unlike in the past where one Inter-Disciplinary Committee used to function to scruitinise and process the applications, with the participation of the Senior Citizen Associations. If the applicant requires an attestation or endorsement by the state authorities, it should be given directly by the District Collector. 12. The A.D. of the Dept. should help the residents of the OAH in each district to obtain all civic facilities, such as voting right, ration cards and health card, funerary facilities, etc. 13. The Commissioner mandated by the State Council should negotiate with the healthcare institutions like hospitals, financial institutions like banks and the Insurance companies, both public and private so as to ensure that all senior citizens, without exception, get covered for healthcare expenses, pension or regular income for sustenance till the end of their life. 14. In all municipalities, where Ward Committees are being formed, a separate committee is expected to be formed with senior citizens so that they can participate in the local governance. Women senior citizens can be accommodated in another proposed ward committee meant for women. The State Government to request all the municipal commissioners to invite the ward level senior citizens associations and the concerned Resident Welfare Associations to send their nominations. The AD has to coordinate with the municipalities in the district after each municipal election. 15. In the municipalities, where there is no GHMC-Aasara type of organisation, the municipal commissioners have to facilitate good cooperation of the Resident Welfare Associations so as to facilitate the functioning of the SCAs, daycare centres, health camps and to carry out other activities in their premises. Therein, particular attention is to be paid to facilitate the activities of women senior citizens. 16. In each Mandal head-quarter, one daycare centre and one oldage home by a local SCA or an NGO are to be encouraged and supported by the District Senior Citizens Committee, headed by the District Collector. 17. Provide support to the SCAs and to the NGOs to organise pre-retirement counselling to those who are in their fifties, whether in public or private sector on finance, shelter, health and leisure. - on 4th Feb,21 -------------------------------------------------------------------- Gayatrinagar Senior Citizens Forum

The Forum in Allapur celebrated, as it does every last day of the month, the anniversaries of those who are born in the month of February. While wishing and presenting gifts to Sri. Gopala Rao garu on his birth day, the Forum members also felicitated the Hanumantharao couple for their humanitarian gesture of giving ten thousand rupees to partially cover the medical expenses of another senior member of the Forum. The organisers are President Sri. Raju, General Secretary Sri. Vithalaiah, Treasurer Sri. B.L. Prasad, Sri. Suribabu and Sri. G.R.K. Sarma. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Senior Citizens Association, Vidyaranyapuri 1. The Association in Hanmakonda in Warangal had its 2nd General Body meeting on 3rd March and the following are elected and have taken oath: President: Sri. Damera Narsaiah Vice-President: Sri. Nagulagam Narsaiah Secretary: Sri. Therala Ugandhar Joint Secretary-1: Sri. Machchika Narsimha Ramaiah Joint Secretary-2: Sri. Chidurala Satyanarayana Secretary, Finance: Sri. Kondabathini Rajender. Members of the Executive Committee: Sri. Ganti Sambaiah, Sri. Immadi Bhikshapathi, Sri. Kannuri Upendrachari, Sri. Andru Chandrasena Reddy, Sri. Anumandla Prabhkar Reddy, Sri. Anugam janardhan and Sri. Gokarapu Rajender. 2. On the occasion of the World Water Day, in Gopalapuram a meeting is arranged, where Sri. Veeranna Naik, Director KUSDELCE has made suggestions for saving wastage of water. The other participants are former corporator Sri. Sirangi Suneel Kumar, Sri. Kajumpuram Damodar, environmentalist, Sri. Nagulagam Narsaiah, the Vice-President of the Association, Sri. Therala Ugandhar, Secretary, Sri. Varahal Rao, Sri. Gokarapu Rajender, Sri. Ganti Sambaiah, Sri. Krishna Murthy, Sri. G. Yadagiri, and Seetharaj Kumar, etc. 3. In a meeting organised in Karimabad High School on the occasion of the WWD, Sri. Mandala Parasuramulu, a noted social worker spoke about the importance of saving water, in the presence of Smt. Sarala, the Principal, Sri. D. Srikanth, Smt. Sobha, Sri. Narender Reddy and others. -- Therala Ugandher, General Secretary cell:8919342150

--------------------------------------------------------------- Accenture, the multi-national firm has distribution essential commodities in association with HelpAge India in Fatima Old Age Home in the old part of the city, Hyderabad.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------- More than 30 members are treated at the Dental camp at Savarigudem. A Touch-Suger check up machine was donated to Savaragudem Senior Citizens Association by J V B Kumar, Presidient GVM mandal president. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Kurnool Senior Citizens Association “Every month, the Association does some charity work”, announced Sri. Sahadeva Reddy, while handing over ten plastic chairs to an orphanage being run by Rayalaseema Mahila Sangh in Kurnool. Gathered on this occasion, Sri. Govinda Rao, member, advocate Sri. PapaRao, Honourary president Dr. Jayaprakash, Sri. Rathna Reddy, member, Treasurer Sri. Christopher, Secretary Dr. Nagaraju, each one of them promised to render further help in their own way to make this institution run successfully. The manager of the Butta Foundation, Sri. Rajesh felicitated the President of the Rayalaseema Mahila Sangh, Smt. Sakuntala for her relentless services rendered even during the epidemic. The president, in turn has profusely thanked the donors with the help of whom alone, the orphanage is being run. Sri. Prasad and Sri. Lakshmanna and others have also participated in the programme.

On 6th March, the Senior Citizens Association of Kurnool observed the Day in the Samatha Orphanage and School. After games and sports, there was a lunch with the participation of the Principal Sri. Sudhakar Reddy, President of the Association Sri. Sahadeva Reddy, Secretary, Dr. Nagaraju, Sri. Christopher, Sri. Rathna Reddy and Sri. Govinda Rao.

On 7th March, the International Elders Club Foundation is opened in the Triguna Hotel, Kurnool, where Sri. Mandadi Krishna Reddy profusely felicitated Sri. B.V. Reddy, founder of the Pyramid Foundation in Kurnool who received Nelson Mandela Peace award for his contribution in the field of spirituality and who also received a doctorate from an American University. Other participants are the MLA for Panyam Sri. Katasani Rambhupal Reddy, members of the Senior Citizens Association Sri. Rathnam Reddy, Sri. Papa Rao, Sri. Govinda Rao, Sri. Maddileti Reddy and others. --- B.Rajesh, Manager, Butta Foundation Ph: 93933 95269. Email: buttafoundation77@gmail.com. www.buttafoundation.org ------------------------------------------------------------- Pamarru SCA Sri. Chimata Suryanarayana, the President of Pamarru Senior Citizens Association in AP has held a meeting in which Sri. Mothukuri Venkateswara Rao, the General Secretary of the District Senior Citizens Association announced that they had distributed id cards to some 26,500 senior citizens and that the Government should restore the usual concessions that have been suspended during the COVID19 epidemic. Sri. Sangam Subba Reddy, Sri. Madhusudhana Rao, Sri. Seelam Bose and Sri. Janardhan Rao also spoke on the occasion. ------------------------------------------------------------------ Tanuku Events On 14th Feb. a cheque for one lakh rupees is handed over by Sri. Chilukuri Visweswra Rao garu of Coastal Agro-Industries Ltd. Tanuku to Sri. Gadigatla Keseswara Rao garu as a donation for the good work that is being done by the Tanuku Senior Citizens Association, in the presence of Sri. Chilukuri Ramakrishna garu, MD of the Coastal Agro-Industries Ltd and Dr. Hussain Ahmed, the honourary President of the Association.

On 16th,the Association has observed the Jayanthi of Potti Sriramulu who sacrificed himself for the creation of separate Andhra Pradesh, in their office in the presence of the Secretary of the Association Sri. Guduri Satyanarayana, Treasurer Smt. Gudavalli Jayalakshmi, Joint-Secretary Sri. Sirigineedi Ramakrishna Rao and members of the Executive Committee Smt. Vadlamani Parvathi, Sri. Nadella Krishnanandam, Sri. Girijala Nageswara Rao, Dr. Joy and others. -- Guduri Satyanarayana, General Secretary

---------------------------------------------------------------- Literary gathering at Ananthapuram Press Club On 21st March, an anthology of stories “ChongaRoti” is released by young writer Sri. Vempalle Sherif in the presence eminent literary figures K.S. Nabi Rasool, Santhinarayana, B. Eswara Reddy, R. Chandrasekhara Reddy,Shami-ulla, Shehnaz, Begum. ------------------------------------------------------------------ In a meeting held at the Ananthapuram District Collectorate on 15th March, the speakers are: K.S. Nabi Rasool, DSO Raghurami Reddy, Joint Collector Gangadhar Gowd, MD Civil Supplies Kondaiah, Legal Metrology A.D. Swamy and others. Speaking on the occasion of the release of the CRPO calender, Sri. Ravindranath Reddy, CAPCO Secretary Sri. Suresh and K.S. Nabi Rasool, regional member of the A.P. State Consumer Protection Council.

In Ananthapuram on 12th March, gathering on the occasion of the release of the book by Atma Singamaneni, Messres. K.S. Nabi Rasool, Dr. Ramesh Naryan, Suryasagar, S.M. Basha, Prajnya Suresh, Gutta Hari, Kothapalli Suresh are to be seen.