The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Corporate houses urged to help out the elderly

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Oct 07, 2005

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Corporate houses urged to help out the elderly

Special Correspondent

Governor distributes social responsibility awards

AWARDED: Sachin Aravind, a first standard student of Le Chatelier Matriculation Higher Secondary School, Madurai, receiving Social Responsibility Award from Governor Surjit Singh Barnala, at a function in Raj Bhavan on Thursday. — Photo : N. S ridharan

CHENNAI: Major changes in society and extinction of the joint family system were some of the reasons that had left a majority of the elderly shattered and lonely, Governor Surjit Singh Barnala has said.

Addressing a meeting before presenting social responsibility awards and releasing the `Senior Citizens Guide' in Tamil here on Thursday, he appealed to corporate houses to come forward to donate generously, besides adopting projects of HelpAge India to help the elderly.

The population of elderly persons was increasing rapidly across the globe. Statistics revealed that out of the 77 million elderly in India, over 40 per cent were below the poverty line, 55 per cent widows, 80 per cent from rural areas, 90 per cent belonged to the unorganised sector with no social security and 73 per cent were illiterate and dependant on physical labour, he said. "It is expected that by 2050, 324 million Indians will be above 60."

Industrialisation, Western influence, modernisation and urbanisation had brought about significant changes in the structure of families, which had moved from an extended joint family system to a more nuclear structure. "Joint family system has proved to be good, as it provided opportunity to the younger generation to get acquainted with the elders' experience," he said.

The gradual split in the joint family system and the poor economic status of families had affected the life of the elderly in the country, Mr. Barnala said. "I appeal to the elders to get themselves otherwise engaged; it can be reading, listening to music, devotional songs, prayer, simple gardening etc." He commended corporate houses, schools and individuals for extending financial support by contributing Rs. 16.23 lakhs during 2004-2005 to HelpAge India.

Mr. Barnala presented cheques of Rs.10 lakhs each to four non-governmental organisations for tsunami rehabilitation in Kollam in Kerala and Cuddalore, Kanyakumari and Nagapattinam districts. He also presented 30 social responsibility awards to corporate houses, schools and individuals. One of the awardees was 6 year-old Sachin Aravind of Le Chatelier Matriculation Higher Secondary School in Madurai, who had collected Rs. 16,000.

Indirani Rajadurai, Director, HelpAge India (Southern Region) highlighted the role of the social welfare organisation.

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