Remarks by Governor at the Distribution of Certificates and Offer Letters to Tribal Youths trained in Geriatric Care

Remarks by Shri CH. Vidyasagar Rao, Governor of Maharashtra at the Distribution of Certificates and Offer Letters to Tribal Youths trained in Geriatric Care at Raj Bhavan, Mumbai at 1200 hrs on Tuesday, 7 May 2019

Smt Manisha Varma, Principal Secretary, Tribal Development Department, senior officers of Tribal Development Department, trainees, ladies and gentlemen,

Good morning and welcome to Raj Bhavan.

At the outset, I congratulate Smt Manisha Varma, Principal Secretary, Tribal Development Department and the partner agency Grandage Services, for devising this excellent programme of training tribal youths as Care Givers for the Elderly people.

As I foresee, this initiative can become a Game Changer in empowering tribal youths and therefore I welcome it wholeheartedly.

I congratulate all the 24 young care givers who have completed their training programmes successfully and will be ready to provide services as Professional Care Givers to elderly people through Hospitals, Old Age Homes and to private individuals through placement agencies.

As Governor and also as Chancellor of Universities, I often attend programmes, functions, Conferences and Convocations all over the state and even in other States.

I often speak of the demographic dividend that India enjoys over other countries.

By 2020, India will have become the youngest nation in the world, with an average age of 29 years. India has, at its command, the advantage of young population that few other countries enjoy.

However, and at the same time, with improvement in standards of living of our people, the average life expectancy of the people of India has increased to more than 70 years.

Naturally, the grey population of India has increased and is constantly increasing.

According to the 2011 census, India has 10.4 crore elderly people having age of 60 and above. It is estimated that India will have 34 Crore elderly people in the year 2050. Which means, India will have an elderly population which is more than the entire population of the United States of America!!

Maharashtra alone will have millions of elderly people who will require the assistance of Caregivers such as these young men and women.

As a youthful nation, India is in the best position, not only to provide Care Givers to the nation, but we can provide Care Givers to many other countries having elderly populations.

I am happy that the Tribal Development Department has thought ahead of times and trained tribal youths from Nashik as Care Givers for the elderly. However the demand for such Care Givers is extremely high.

The demand is coming, not only from metros like Mumbai, but it is also coming from Tier II and Tier III cities and even in small places.

I will therefore call upon the Tribal Development Department and the partner agencies to increase 1. Speed of Training, 2. Scale of Training and 3. Skill Upgradation from time to time to meet the growing demand for Care Givers.

I will also call upon you to devise such training programmes in all the Districts having Tribal Population.

We may also think of providing Nursing Education to Tribal Boys and Girls so that they will get more employment opportunities.

I would like to advise the young Care Givers to keep before your eyes the example of Nurses from Kerala. They are known all over the country and even outside because of their professional excellence and caring service. You must like wise, do the department proud with your excellent and ethical work.

Last year, the Tribal Development department had sent tribal youths to Mount Everest. I do hope that the Department will scale more such peaks of excellence through tribal development and empowerment.

Once again, I congratulate the Department, the partnering agency and most of all, to all the Trained Care Givers on this memorable day and wish you all success in your future endeavours.

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