AVYAY Supports 764 Senior Citizen Homes across India

Convener News Desk

---

 

New Delhi, October 23: The Centre is supporting 764 Senior Citizen Homes, 13 Continuous Care Homes, 17 Mobile Medicare Units and three physiotherapy clinics across the country under the Integrated Programme for Senior Citizens (IPSrC), a component of the Atal Vayo Abhyuday Yojana (AVYAY).

 

The Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment provides financial assistance through grants-in-aid to eligible organisations, including non-governmental organisations, state governments, Panchayati Raj institutions and local bodies, to establish and maintain facilities for senior citizens.

 

 The facilities provide residential care and support, particularly for indigent elderly people, alongside mobile healthcare, physiotherapy and other services aimed at improving their well-being.

 

An official of the Ministry said IPSrC, the State Action Plan for Senior Citizens (SAPSrC) and Regional Resource and Training Centres (RRTCs) are key components of AVYAY, collectively supporting senior citizen welfare and strengthening service delivery.

 

The official said each RRTC receives annual financial assistance of ₹19.58 lakh to strengthen outreach, capacity building and service delivery.

 

Designated by the government, RRTCs function as regional nodal agencies for training, research, documentation, awareness generation and advocacy on ageing and senior citizen welfare. They also support database development, monitoring and evaluation, project inspections and coordination with state governments, Union Territories and implementing organisations.

 

Under the State Action Plan for Senior Citizens, financial assistance is provided to state and UT governments for initiatives such as training geriatric caregivers, organising special cataract surgery drives and implementing other approved welfare interventions based on local needs.

 

States and Union Territories may use up to 20 per cent of their allocated funds for state-specific programmes, subject to scheme guidelines. Funding is admissible only for approved components, and states and UTs are expected to supplement central assistance with their own resources.

 

Through its institutional care facilities, regional support structures and state-level initiatives, AVYAY aims to address the varied needs of the ageing population, with an emphasis on dignity, access to care and improved welfare services.