Lok Sabha Question No. 3189 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-03-22
Subject: Welfare of Senior Citizens
Ministry: SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT
Asked by: Ramesh Bidhuri

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION N0.3189 TO BE ANSWERED ON 22.03.2022

## WELFARE OF SENIOR CITIZENS

## 3189. SHRI RAMESH BIDHURI:

Will the Minister of SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has taken/proposes to take Citizens of the country keeping in view their increasing population in recent times;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the Government proposes to construct new old age homes with better and modern facilities for senior citizens in the country especially in NCR region; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT (SUSHRI PRATIMA BHOUMIK)

- (a) & (b): The Department of Social Justice and Empowerment is implementing a scheme namely Atal Abhyuday Yojana (AVYAY) for welfare of Senior Citizens of the country. AVYAY has the following components: Vayo
- Integrated Programme for Senior Citizens (IPSrC);
- (ii) State Action Plan for Senior Citizens (SAPSIC);
- (iii) Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana (RVY);
- (iv) (a) Livelihood and Skilling Initiatives for Senior Citizens Senior Able Citizens for ReEmployment Action   Groups Aimed at   Social Reconstruction (AGRASR Groups) Elderly Self Help groups;
- (vi) Channelizing CSR funds for Elderly care;
- (v) Promoting silver economy;
- (vii) Scheme for Awareness Generation and Capacity Building for welfare of Senior Citizens Training, A wareness, Sensitization, Setting up of National Helpline for Senior Citizens.

Details of these Schemes are given at Annexure.

- (c )& (d): This Department does not provide grant in aid for construction of senior citizen homes

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## Details\_of

## Department 0f Social Justice and Empowerment: Atal Vayo Abhyudaya\_ Yojana

together articulation of each of the strategies and targets and maps it with schemes/programmes, accountabilities, financials and clear outcomes: This Plan takes care of the top four needs of the senior citizens viz financial security, food, health care and human interaction /life of dignity. It also includes the facets of  safety/protection and general   wellbeing of the elderly  beginning from awareness generation and sensitization of the society. brings

- 2 AVYAY, effective since St April 2021,has following schemes under it, namely:
- Scheme of Integrated Programme for Senior Citizens (IPSrC)
- Livelihood and Skilling Initiatives for Senior Citizens Senior Able Citizens for ReEmployment in Dignity (SACRED); Action Groups Aimed at Social Reconstruction (AGRASR Groups) Elderly Self Help groups
- State Action Plan for Senior Citizens (SAPSrC)
- Promoting silver economy
- Channelizing CSR funds for Elderly care
- Scheme for Awareness Generation and Capacity Building for welfare of Senior Citizens Training, Awareness, Sensitization, Setting up of National Helpline for Senior Citizens.
- Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana (RVY)
- 3\_ Under the Scheme of Integrated Programme for Senior Citizens (IPSrC), grants upto 100% of project cost are given for running and maintenance the following projects:
- Senior Citizens' Homes for 25 destitute Senior Citizens to provide food; care and shelter.
- (iii) Continuous Care Homes and Homes for senior citizens afflicted with Alzheimer's diseasel Dementia for a minimum of 20 Senior Citizens who are seriously ill requiring continuous nursing care and respite or those who are afflicted with Alzheimer's disease/ Dementia.
- ii) Senior Citizens' Homes for 50 Elderly Women including those under Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojana (SAGY) to provide food, care and shelter:
- (iv) Mobile Medicare Units to provide medical  care to the Senior Citizens living in rural, isolated and backward areas.

## ANNEXURE

## for the Elderly\_Peoples' raised bY\_Hon'ble MP Shri

- Physiotherapy Clinics for Senior Citizens for a minimum of 50 Senior Citizens per month.
- vi) Regional Resource and  Training Centres   (RRTCs) monitors and  provides technical support, advocacy, networking; training and capacity building for effective delivery of service by the Centres for Senior Citizens, funded by the Ministry:
- 4 Under IPSrC, assistance is sanctioned to the following agencies subject to the terms and conditions laid down by this Ministry:
- Non-Governmental/ Voluntary Organizations;
- Priority to be given to the State Governments UT Administrations  for supporting the projects under the Scheme of   IPSrC through Registered Societies/   Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) Local bodies, in the vicinity of Hospitals, as far as possible;
- Institutions or Organizations set up by Government as autonomous/ subordinate bodies;
- Government Recognized Educational Institutions, Charitable Hospitals/ Nursing Homes; and recognized organizations such as Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS) youth
- 5\_ Under State Action Plan for Senior Citizens (SAPSrC), the Government of India perceives a major and critical role of all State Governments in partnering and implementing the Action Plan for welfare of senior citizens. Appreciating the critical and significant role of States/UTs, each State/UT is expected to plan and strategize into account their local considerations and  frame their own State Action Plans for the welfare of their senior citizens. This State Action Plan may comprise a long-term strategy for five years as well as Annual Action Plans and this   Department shall release funds to the States/UTs   for formulation and implementation of their State Action Plans taking
- 6\_ Livelihood and Skilling Initiatives for Senior CitizensA new scheme with following two components:-
- Senior senior citizens have experience, time and energy which can be used by the business enterprises looking for stable   employees with   experience. The Human resources cells of many private enterprises   seek experienced but stable persons in certain positions The portal allows bringing these people together by virtual matching of preferences. The portal has been launched by the Vice President of India on International on Older Persons (IDOP); Many Day
- (ii) Aimed at Social Reconstruction (AGRASR Groups): Elderly Self Help groups The Senior Citizens are encouraged to form Self-Help Groups (SHGs), which will provide them with a platform to share the time constructively with each other: To attain financial assistance under the scheme SHGs will function as Action Groups Aimed at Social Reconstruction (AGRASR Groups)' Assistance under this Scheme to any SHG will be independent of assistance under any other scheme of the Ministry and an SHG can choose to avail assistance under any one 0r more Scheme(s).
- Promoting Silver Economy This is also a new scheme launched with an objective to encourage the entrepreneurs for to think about the problems of the elderly and come out with innovative solutions The Government aims to achieve the objective by providing upto Rs. crore as financial assistance through equity participation, through an open invitation on a portal namely Seniorcare Ageing Growth Engine (SAGE):
- 8 Channelizing CSR funds for Elderly careThis is also a new scheme with an objective to channelize the CSR funds in appropriate manner for elderly care projects.  Under Schedule VII of Section 135 of the Companies Act, setting up old age homes; care centres and such facilities for Senior Citizens is an approved item for CSR funding: day
- 9 Scheme for Awareness Generation and Capacity  Building for welfare   of  Senior Citizens- Components like the National Helpline for Senior Citizens, Research, awareness, sensitization etc. for the welfare of senior citizens, spreading awareness and sensitizing the youth and other sections of the society towards the issues related The National  Helpline Elderline with toll free number 14567 to the country by the Vice President of India 202 1 on 01/10/2021. i.e.
10. Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana (RVY): Scheme for providing Physical Aids and AssistedLiving Devices for Senior Citizens

The Scheme of Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana (RVY) has been formulated by Ministry of Social  Justice and Empowerment with an objective to provide aids and assisted living devices viz;  walking sticks, elbow crutches, walkers/crutches, tripods/quadpods, hearing aids, wheelchairs, artificial dentures   and   spectacles, free of cost to senior citizens belonging to BPL category who suffer from age related disabilities/infirmities such as low vision, hearing impairment, loss of teeth and loco-motor disabilities. The Scheme has been revised W.e.f. F.Y. 2020-21. Under the revised   Scheme, the criteria of  selection of beneficiaries have been extended to include not oly those senior citizens belonging to BPL category but also senior citizens with monthly income not more than Rs. 15000/- and who suffer from age related disabilities/infirmities as mentioned above.

Under" the revised Scheme of RVY, the number of devices hitherto provided has been increased. At present, following are the items that have been included for distribution:

- (a) Generic Items: (I)Walking sticks (2) Elbow crutches (3) Walkers/Crutches,
- (6) Special Items: (1) Wheelchairs, (2) Wheel Chairs with Commode, (3) Chair/Stool with Commode; (4) Silicon Foam Cushion, (5) Knee Brace, (6) Spinal  Support, (7) Cervical Collar; (8) Lumbosacral Belt (LS), (9) Walker/Roalator with Brakes, (10) Walking Stick with Seat, (1) Foot Care Kit:- (i) Flexi Gel Socks; (ii) Socks Cusion Sandal, (iii) Silicon Insole (Complete Foot/Ankle) and (iv) Insole with Pressure Point Relief:
- (4) Tripods/Quadpods (5) Hearing Aids (6) Artificial Dentures, and (7) Spectacles

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