The Hindu : New Delhi News : Functioning of welfare homes to become public

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Tuesday, Jan 18, 2011
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Functioning of welfare homes to become public

Special Correspondent

Delhi Cabinet approves setting up of a Management Committee in each of them

‘Eminent citizens, social workers to bring about transparency, greater accountability'
‘Two of the three nominated non-official members would preferably be women'

NEW DELHI: To bring about a larger say for eminent citizens and civil society in the functioning of welfare homes under the departments of Social Welfare and Women and Child Development, the Delhi Cabinet on Monday approved the setting up of a Management Committee in each of them.

Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, who chaired the Cabinet meeting, said the decision to constitute the management committees would help in involving committed citizens in guiding, supervising and monitoring the running of these homes and in ensuring all-round improvement in their functioning.

Ms. Dikshit said under both the departments, there are 26 welfare homes catering to various vulnerable groups like children, elderly, mentally retarded, destitute women, beggars and leprosy-affected. Further, she said, several statutory homes were also functioning in the Capital.

Stating that these homes were being run through permanent staff available in the departments and posted from Services Department, the Chief Minister said it has now been decided that management committees would be constituted in all these homes under the chairmanship of Deputy Commissioner (Revenue) or designated Additional District Magistrate concerned. The Superintendent of the home concerned will function as convener whereas District Medical Officer and District Social Welfare Officer will be nominated as official members.

Most importantly, she said, there will be three non-official members from among the eminent citizens, social workers, non government organisations and civil society to bring about transparency and greater accountability in their functioning. Also, two of the three nominated non-official members would preferably be women.

The Chief Minister said it would be mandated that the committee meet at least once a month and prepare a quarterly report on the recommendations made and action taken. The tenure of the committee will be two years.

The functions of these committees would include improvement of infrastructure, sanitation and general cleanliness, skill development and vocational training of inmates, review of health and nutritional status, recreation facilities, ensuring proper water supply and electricity, compliance of minimum standards of food, clothing, bedding, training and sensitisation of staff, encouraging modern management practices and use of IT, to act as a grievance redress mechanism and to employ persons in case of shortage of staff.

These committees would ensure that the delivery mechanism is improved so that the inmates are able to avail of the food, clothing, beds, medical facilities, recreation facilities, vocational and skill training that are provided in these homes.

The Delhi Cabinet has also approved a proposal to switch over release of old age pension to the banks. Earlier, this pension was being released through post offices.

The Chief Minister said while 213,000 pensioners were already receiving their pension through banks, the remaining 80,677 would also be given six months time to open their accounts in banks. In all, she said, about three lakh destitute women above the age of 60 years were being provided a monthly pension of Rs 1,000 under the Old Age Assistance Scheme. The shifting of the accounts to the banks would also help the pensioners make use of the smart card facility that would be extended to them under Samajik Suvidha Sangam.

The Cabinet also recommended proroguing the sixth session (Winter Session) of the 4th Legislative Assembly of Delhi to the L-G. The session had commenced on November 23, 2010, and the House was adjourned sine-die on December 1, 2010.

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