New Delhi: India's elderly got a special mention in Finance Minister P. Chidambaram's budget speech on Friday. He announced the launch of a national programme on ageing with a plan outlay of Rs 400 crore.
Two national institutes of ageing will be set up during the 11th Five-Year Plan period (2007-12).
Also, eight regional centres and a department for geriatric medical care in one medical college hospital in each state will also be started.
India is home to one out of every 10 senior citizens of the world.
India's elderly population, which was 56.7 million in 1991, went up to 72 million in 2001 and is expected to grow to 137 million by 2021.
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