UT admn sticks with ₹20L deposit for new group home admissions
Director of social welfare Palika Arora confirmed that a public notice for admissions would be issued next week. This follows several delays, with the initial target of January 27 slipping by
Six months after the social welfare department took possession of a newly constructed group home, admissions are set to begin next week, but a contentious ₹20 lakh security deposit continues to loom large, creating a barrier for many families. The administration has remained firm on the deposit amount, despite repeated appeals from parents.
Director of social welfare Palika Arora confirmed that a public notice for admissions would be issued next week. This follows several delays, with the initial target of January 27 slipping by. The department is finalising its admission standard operating procedure (SOP), which will be published on its website alongside the public notice.
Addressing the high security fund, Arora explained, “If a resident is unable to pay or their parents pass away, we don’t want to evict them due to their special needs. The security amount is designed to address this with due permission from the administrator. In case of payment defaults, the amount can be recovered from the fund.”
The ₹35 crore group home, located on a two-acre plot within the Government Rehabilitation Institute for Intellectual Disabilities (GRIID) in Sector 31, has a capacity of 90 residents. Completed in July 2024, the project faced initial delays due to concerns about the building’s suitability for individuals with mental and intellectual disabilities. Glass mirrors were replaced with safer sheet mirrors, issues with cupboards were resolved, and corridor grills are being extended to the ceiling. Shed work over the basement ramp is also underway. A provision for 25% reservation for economically weaker sections has been implemented, addressing earlier concerns about affordability.
Simultaneous staff recruitment
Parents have voiced concerns about the lack of professional staff. The department has assured that staff recruitment will occur concurrently with the admission process. The admission timeline includes a 21-day application period, followed by 45 days of screening. Initially, a batch of 10 residents (five with mental disabilities and five with intellectual disabilities) will participate in a day-care programme, transitioning to 24x7 care for three months. Final admissions are expected to take place in the seventh month, making the entire process approximately six months long.
Justification for high amount
The department argues that the ₹20 lakh security fund is justified by the advanced facilities and higher operational costs of the group home. Arora stated that similar facilities for senior citizens charge a much lower security deposit ( ₹25,000 for three months), but the group home requires significantly more funding ( ₹1.5-2 crore annually) due to its enhanced features. She emphasised that the project is entirely state-funded.
Luxury vs accessibility
The group home boasts a 60-car capacity basement parking, suites with bedrooms, drawing rooms, attached bathrooms, and balconies, as well as single and twin-sharing rooms with similar amenities. The ground floor features a dining area and a state-of-the-art 85-inch television. All common areas and activity rooms are equipped with automatic voltage regulator ACs. Separate rooms are designated for wardens, resident managers, and nursing staff. A social welfare department official acknowledged that the luxurious design has contributed to higher maintenance costs.
Joginder Kaur, a 65-year-old mother of a mentally ill individual, expressed her distress: “The security amount is exorbitant. We can’t afford it, and we haven’t received adequate information about the facilities. Instead of helping us, the government is demoralising us with such a steep fee.”
Shivani Dhillon, mother of an intellectually disabled person said, “Nowhere in India there is there any government long stay home charging such a huge security deposit for the mentally and intellectually disabled person. I am not aware of the facilities they are providing, they haven’t started the day care centre yet, I cannot send my daughter to stay there anyway while lacking all the information. The UT administration has been changing its stance again and again regarding the security deposit. There is a complete lack of empathy from the administration side and they are not ready to listen to us.”
The high deposit has effectively placed the “gilded cage” out of reach for many families who need it most.