Lok Sabha Question No. 579 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-02-03
Subject: Long-term Care Infrastructure	 for Senior Citizens
Ministry: SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT
Asked by: Shri Kuldeep Indora

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.579 TO BE ANSWERED ON 03.02.2026

## LONG-TERM CARE INFRASTRUCTURE FOR SENIOR CITIZENS

## $579. SHRI KULDEEP INDORA:

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

- (a) whether it is a fact that nearly twenty percent of persons above sixty years of age face difficulties in performing their daily activities in the country, while long-term care facilities are extremely limited;
- (b) if so, whether the Government is formulating any plan to set up affordable old age homes, assisted-living facilities and day-care centres in all districts;
- (c) whether the Government is contemplating to implementing a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model to promote home-based elder care services and ensure the availability of trained caregivers;
- (d) whether there is any plan to further strengthen the Elderline (14567) helpline, if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) whether the Government contemplating to set up Fast-Track Tribunals for quick disposal of cases relating to abuse of senior citizens under the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007, if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT (SHRI B.L. VERMA)

- (a): As per the study conducted by Longitudinal Ageing Study in India (LASI), under the aegis of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, 23.8 percent of the persons aged 60 years and above in the country suffer from at least one limitation in Activities of Daily Living (ADL), indicating varying degrees of care dependency.
- (b): The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment is implementing an umbrella scheme, namely Atal Vayo Abhyuday Yojana (AVYAY) w.e.f. 01.04.2021 for the welfare of senior citizens across the country. Under the Integrated Programme for Senior Citizens (IPSrC), a component of AVYAY, Grant-in-Aid is provided to the organizations for running and maintenance of Senior Citizen Homes, Continuous Care Homes, Mobile Medicare Units and Physiotherapy Clinics. At present, 705 Senior Citizen Homes, 13 Continuous Care Homes, 17 Mobile Medicare Units and 03 Physiotherapy Clinics are being supported under IPSrC.

In addition to this, under the Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana (RVY) component of AVYAY, eligible senior citizens suffering from any of the age-related disability/ infirmity are being provided 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. At present, 7.93 lakh eligible senior citizens have been benefitted under RVY.

- (c): The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment acknowledges the importance of home-based care and the need for trained caregivers. Therefore, this Department is implementing a scheme component namely PM-SPECIAL(System For Provision of Eldercare in House and Assisted Living) to bridge the gap in supply and increasing demand in the field of geriatric caregivers so as to provide more professional services to the senior citizens and also to create a cadre of professional care givers in the field of geriatrics.
- (d): The Government has set up a National Helpline for Senior Citizens, called Elderline (Toll-Free No. 14567) for providing free information, guidance and emotional support to senior citizens. Continuous efforts are undertaken to strengthen the Elderline which include enhancement of technological infrastructure, expansion of call-handling capacity and extensive awareness generation through outreach activities, so as to ensure its increased accessibility.
- (e): The Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens (MWPSC) Act, 2007 provides for the establishment of Maintenance Tribunals and Appellate Tribunals to ensure speedy, inexpensive and summary justice to senior citizens. The existing statutory framework adequately provides for expeditious redressal of grievances relating to maintenance and welfare of senior citizens. Under Section 5(4) of the Act, Maintenance Tribunals are mandated to dispose of applications for maintenance within ninety days from the date of service of notice to the children or relatives, extendable by a maximum of thirty days in exceptional circumstances.

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