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Assam Social Welfare Minister Pramila Rani Brahma said she was not in the know regarding the letter sent to Maneka. Photo Credit - Northeast Now

The Assam government on Friday has plans to prepare a databank of the old persons, widows and physically challenged persons.

Currently the state government do not have data related to the old people, widows and physically challenged persons residing in the state.

Social Welfare Minister Pramila Rani Brahma said that her department has not prepared any data or list of the three neglected sections of the society.

She revealed this in reply to a query by AIUDF MLA Aminul Islam.

She further added that the Social Welfare Department is now taking steps to prepare a databank of the old persons, widows and physically challenged persons as it is quite essential for their overall development.

She informed that up till now, her department has compiled data of 1,38,493 physically challenged and 6,84,772 old persons.

Brahma further added that various financial schemes have been introduced for physically challenged persons and new old age homes are being constructed with state support in different locations.

According to a 2018 survey by Help Age India, 50 per cent of the elderly persons in Guwahati feel neglected because most of their family members remain busy with mobile phones.

The survey also revealed that most of the elderly persons are abused in different ways by their family members.

As per 2011 Census, about 2.21 per cent of the total population of India are disabled.

According to a World Bank report, there is a higher rate of illiteracy among the disabled persons and most of them are found to drop out of schools quite soon because of lack of proper facilities.