The Ministry of Construction said on November 14 that a plan has been submitted to the government for a pilot project to build shelters for homeless senior citizens in ten provinces.
The project plan proposes three kinds of shelters for homeless elderly people; one will be state-run shelters, another will be private shelters and the third kind will be community shelters.
Initially the ministry will build accommodation for homeless elderly in ten provinces, namely, the northern provinces of Cao Bang, Tuyen Quang, Thanh Hoa; the central provinces of Nghe An, Quang Tri, Quang Nam; the highland provinces of Lam Dong, Kon Tum; and Tra Vinh, Dong Thap Provinces in the Mekong Delta.
Around 50 homeless senior citizens will be accommodated in the newly built shelters in each province. Each shelter will have a kitchen and refectory, medical treatment section, section for cultural activities and a funeral home.
According to the ministry, total expense for one shelter will be around VND12 billion (US$568,928), which will be taken from the State budget while the local government will provide capital for zone clearance and resettlement as well as for necessary equipment.
