THE ELDERLY IN RURAL ORISSA - ALONE IN DISTRESS

Increased poverty and economic stress in rural Orissa is likely to ero de the traditional family care and support for the elderly in general, and for the elderly women in particular. The existing patriarchal fam ily system in Orissa permits limited access for elderly women to prope rty rights, which further compounds their difficulty in obtaining enou gh income for survival. Therefore, there is a need for the government to provide social security to the elderly women, especially those who are living alone.