The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment provided a comprehensive update on its initiatives under the Atal Vayo Abhyuday Yojana (AVYAY) for senior citizen welfare through a written parliamentary reply by Minister of State Shri B.L. Verma.
The Elderline National Helpline for Senior Citizens (14567) is currently operational across 32 States and Union Territories, providing information, guidance, emotional support, intervention, rescue and grievance redressal services from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM daily except on National Holidays.
Under the Integrated Programme for Senior Citizens (IPSrC), the Ministry is supporting 734 Senior Citizen Homes through grants-in-aid for their operation and maintenance, providing institutional care to indigent elderly persons. The Seniorcare Ageing Growth Engine (SAGE) initiative has received 131 applications since its portal launch in August 2022, with 10 start-ups selected after due diligence and financial assistance amounting to ₹9.5 crore released to promote innovative products and services for senior citizens.
The Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana (RVY) has distributed 49,81,380 assistive devices among 9,23,071 senior citizens belonging to the Below Poverty Line category or those with monthly income up to ₹15,000, enabling them to lead independent lives. The Ministry clarified that there is currently no proposal under consideration for introducing a separate National Silver Policy, instead focusing on strengthening the existing ecosystem through integrated welfare programmes under AVYAY.