Jaipur: Hoping to increase employment opportunities and also benefit the elderly, the Rajasthan government has launched a 'home nursing' scheme to help ailing senior citizens.

The Abhilasha Yojna scheme has been launched from all government medical colleges in the state.

"This way they (senior citizens) would not have to come to hospital daily," an official of the medical and health department said here Thursday.

"This scheme would not only help in increasing employment opportunities for unemployed women but would also be helpful for taking care of senior citizens whose children go to work," the official added.

The scheme has been launched in Jaipur, Ajmer, Kota, Jodhpur, Udaipur and Bikaner medical colleges of the state. The notices for the scheme were pasted in front of medical colleges Thursday.

The rates would be decided by the concerned hospitals and these nurses would have to work for eight hours a day, the official added.

In Jaipur, the social welfare department has identified 20 women for the job. These women would be trained for six weeks and would be registered by with government-run Sawai Man Singh Hospital here.

"This is a good scheme. I was looking for nurses to take care of my ailing mother, I was ready to pay for the services, but was not able to find one even in the last six months," said Kamal Chaudhary.

"This scheme looks good. But the government has to run it in a proper way," added Kailash Joshi, a medical representative.

In another move, the government is also planning a mobile telemedicine unit (MTU) facility to provide medical facilities in remote areas.

The state government has invited bids from eligible bidders, who have the required experience to supply, install, commission and operate the VSAT-based MTUs that will be stationed at all medical colleges.

Source : IANS