Context

• The Department of Social Justice and Empowerment, being the Nodal Department for welfare of senior citizens, develops and implements programmes and policies for these groups in close collaboration with State Governments, Non-Governmental Organizations and the civil society. 

Atal Vayo Abhyuday Yojana 

• Atal Vayo Abhyuday Yojana (AVYAY) is implemented by the Department to take care of various needs of Senior Citizens including shelter, food, healthcare and human interaction / life of dignity. The components of the AVYAY Scheme are as under:-
  • Integrated Programme for Senior Citizens (IPSrC)
  • State Action Plan for Senior Citizens (SAPSrC)
  • Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana (RVY)
  • Elderline – National Helpline for Senior Citizens
  • Senior-care Ageing Growth Engine (SAGE)
  • Geriatric Caregivers Training 

Integrated Programme for Senior Citizens (IPSrC)

• A component of AVYAY under which grant in aid is provided to Non-Governmental/ Voluntary Organizations for running and maintenance of Senior Citizens’ Homes (old age homes), continuous care homes, etc. 
• Facilities like shelter, nutrition, medicare and entertainments are provided free of cost to indigent senior citizens. 

State Action Plan for Senior Citizens (SAPSrC)

• A component of AVYAY, under which grant in aid is released to States/UTs for creation of a pool of trained Geriatric Caregivers for senior citizens, for carrying a special drive for Cataract Surgeries for Senior Citizens and State Specific Activities for the welfare of senior citizens, especially who are indigent in the States/UTs. 

Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana (RVY)

• The scheme aims to provide senior citizens, suffering from any of the age-related disability/infirmity, with assisted living devices which can restore near normalcy in their bodily functions, overcoming the disability/infirmity manifested such as low vision, hearing impairment, loss of teeth and loco-motor disabilities. 
• The eligible senior citizens under this component are those who are in the BPL Category or having monthly income upto Rs.15000/-.
• Generic and non- generic devices are distributed to the senior citizens through the camps and till date, 3,64,001 senior citizens have been benefitted in 354 camps.

Elderline: National Helpline for Senior Citizens (14567): 

• The Ministry has set up the National Helpline for Senior Citizen to provide free information, Guidance, Emotional Support and field intervention in cases of abuse and rescues. 
• It is toll-free helpline operational in 31 States/ UT, from 8 am to 8 pm, all 7 days of the week.

Senior-care Ageing Growth Engine (SAGE): 

• To promote out-of-the-box and innovative solutions for the commonly faced problems, innovative start-ups are identified and encouraged for developing products, processes and services for the welfare of the elderly under this initiative. 
• The selected start-ups/start-up ideas are provided equity support of up to Rs.1 Crore per project while ensuring that the total Government equity in the start-up does not exceed 49%. SAGE portal (http://sage.dosje.gov.in) was launched on 04/06/2021. The initiative is implemented through IFCI Venture Capital Funds Ltd. (Investment Manager).