Two National Institutes specialised in treating elderly people will be set up soon. The Institutes will be based at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in Delhi and the Madras Medical College in Tamil Nad.

Disclosing this in New Delhi today Health and Family Welfare Minster Ghulam Nabi Azad said eight regional institutes will also be started soon for elderly patients suffering from serious ailments.

Addressing a function on the occassion of International day of Older People Azad said the institutes will have state-of-the-art advanced equipment. Each institute will be built at an estimated cost of 30 crore rupees. The Health Minister also inaugurated a special OPD for senior citizens at AIIMS on the occassion.

Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Mukul Wasnik asked the voluntary organisations and NGOs to sensitize people about the provisions of the Maintainence and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act.

Earlier, the two ministers conferred the Vayoshreshtha Samman for the year 2011 to senior citizens excelling in the field of creative art, sports and economic leadership. The awards were also presented to institutions and organisations working for the elderly.