*Jan 18, 2011* * New Delhi:* Each of the managing committees to have four govt officers and three citizens.
All government-run social welfare homes in Delhi will be operated by managing committees comprising officials and citizens to improve the living conditions for residents, the Delhi government decided on Monday. The government currently operates 26 such homes across the Capital for the mentally challenged, the elderly, destitute women, beggars and leprosy patients. Management reforms in welfare homes were put underway after 52 residents of Asha Kiran — a government-run observation home for the mentally challenged — died in 2009 alone, most of them as a result of poor living conditions and overcrowding. The home is still packed with 776 residents against a capacity of 350. Cases of such neglect have always plagued these homes and invited scathing attacks. On Monday, however, the Delhi Cabinet decided that each of these homes will be supervised by an apex committee, with four government officers and three citizens, including social workers, advocacy groups and civil society members. “There is need to involve citizens who can guide, supervise and monitor the running of these homes and facilitate overall improvement in functioning,” Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit said. The government decided it will retain management control over these homes after spending nearly a year trying to rope in private partners, following which the plan was rejected. The Social Welfare department earlier proposed shifting the residents to two other buildings in Dwarka and Bindapur that were to be managed by private firms on a public-private-partnership model. Sources said Social Welfare minister Mangat Ram Singhal had protested the proposal to include private operators that was prepared by officials of the department he heads and then also approved by the Cabinet. Deputy Commissioner (Revenue) or the Additional District Magistrate will head the new managing committees of the welfare homes in the zone under their jurisdiction. Incumbent superintendents of all homes will now function as convenors, and the District Medical Officer and District Social Welfare Officer will be official members. The government will prefer women over men while nominating two of the three non-official members from the civil society, Dikshit said. The managing committee will meet at least once a month and will also prepare a quarterly report on the recommendations made and action taken. “The tenure of the committee will be two years,” Dikshit said. The management committees will ensure better infrastructure and sanitation, vocational training to residents, review of health and nutritional status and recreation facilities and compliance of minimum standards in food, clothing and bedding, Dikshit said. “They will also take care of training and sensitisation of the staff, encourage modern management practices and use of technology, act as a grievance redress mechanism and employ persons in case of shortage of staff, like cooks,” said Dikshit. http://www.indianexpress.com/news/govt-forms-panels-to-run-its-welfare-homes/738847/0 -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Mental Health Advocacy (News 'N Views) India" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/MhaNewsViewsIndia?hl=en ------------- Affiliated Groups : MENTAL HEALTH ADVOCACY INDIA [email protected] Discussions on mental health law / policy / plan monitoring / human rights etc [email protected] India-specific news and views related to mental health [email protected] Information and support to carers of people with mental health issues [email protected] Mutual support and sharing of experiential knowledge, skills and social learning amongst peers
