Thiruvananthapuram, Jun 19 (IANS): Seventy new state-of-the-art day-care centres for senior citizens will be opened in Kerala, the assembly was informed on Tuesday.

Social Justice Minister K.K. Shailaja, in reply to a question by opposition legislator Roshy Augustine, said the first of the centres has been opened.

"The rest of the day-care centres for those above 60 years will be opened this year itself. We have a huge responsibility towards these elder citizens as it's our duty to make their lives more comfortable. We are soon coming out with an insurance scheme for them also," said Shailaja.

At least 12.83 per cent of Kerala's nearly 33 million population are aged above 60.

Shailaja also said that 21 'maintenance tribunals' which are functioning in the state look after complaints from ageing parents regarding their children not taking care of them.

With nuclear families becoming the order of the day and children working abroad, the situation today in the state is such that at present, 50 old age homes are run by various charity organisations, while there are about half-a-dozen hi-tech old age homes.