Atal Vayo Abhyuday Yojana Supports India’s Growing Senior Citizen Population

The government’s Atal Vayo Abhyuday Yojana (AVYAY) aims to address these needs by strengthening institutional support and expanding welfare services to help older people lead dignified and independent lives.

According to an official factsheet released on Tuesday, the government disbursed ₹77.98 crore in grants-in-aid to 755 projects under the Integrated Programme for Senior Citizens (IPSrC), a key component of AVYAY, for the quarter ending September 30, 2026, in the financial year 2026-27.

The scheme combines residential care, state-level welfare programmes, assistive devices, helplines, caregiver training and support for businesses developing products and services for older people.

Grants support old-age homes and healthcare facilities

The Integrated Programme for Senior Citizens serves as the principal implementation mechanism under AVYAY. It provides financial assistance to non-governmental organisations (NGOs), Panchayati Raj institutions and local bodies to operate and maintain facilities for elderly people.

These include old-age homes, continuous care homes, mobile medical units, physiotherapy clinics and regional resource and training centres.

According to the factsheet, the programme currently supports 764 senior citizen homes, 13 continuous care homes, 17 mobile medicare units and three physiotherapy clinics.

The government has identified the establishment and maintenance of senior citizen homes as a primary focus of the scheme’s current expansion, particularly to provide shelter for elderly people without adequate financial resources or family support.

States receive support for elderly welfare programmes

The State Action Plan for Senior Citizens (SAPSrC) focuses on strengthening planning and implementation at the state and Union Territory levels.

Under this component, governments can receive grants for training geriatric caregivers, conducting special cataract surgery drives and implementing other welfare initiatives suited to local requirements.

States and Union Territories can allocate up to 20 per cent of their designated funds to state-specific programmes, subject to the scheme’s approved components. They are also expected to supplement the central assistance with their own resources.

Regional Resource and Training Centres (RRTCs) provide additional institutional support, particularly for implementing the IPSrC component. The scheme guidelines provide annual financial assistance of ₹19.58 lakh to each RRTC, while designated NGOs and institutions receive support to strengthen outreach, training and service delivery.

Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana provides assistive devices

The Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana (RVY), a separate central sector scheme, provides assistive living devices to eligible senior citizens experiencing age-related disabilities or physical infirmities.

The objective is to help beneficiaries regain functional independence and improve their ability to carry out everyday activities.

The government said the programme had cumulatively benefited more than 10.45 lakh senior citizens, with 55,87,653 assistive living devices distributed through camps and walk-in centres operated by the Artificial Limbs Manufacturing Corporation of India (ALIMCO) at Pradhan Mantri Divyasha Vayoshri Kendras.

Elderline helpline connects senior citizens to support

The government launched the National Helpline for Senior Citizens, known as Elderline, in October 2021 to provide free information, guidance and emotional support.

The helpline is intended to connect older people with timely assistance and help them navigate available services. According to the factsheet, Elderline has received more than 8.66 lakh actionable calls.

The initiative forms part of the government’s efforts to make support services more accessible to elderly people who may face difficulties accessing information or assistance independently.

JEEVAN app and SHATAYU dashboard strengthen care services

In May 2026, the government launched the Joint Elderly Empowerment and Virtual Assistance Network (JEEVAN) mobile application and the Senior Holistic Care Assistance and Training for Your Utility (SHATAYU) geriatric dashboard.

The SHATAYU dashboard helps senior citizens and their families locate trained geriatric caregivers. It provides information on caregiver availability across states and districts, supporting the development of a more organised elderly-care sector.

The government has also invited caregivers trained during 2023-24 and earlier to register themselves on the platform to strengthen its database and improve access to trained care services.

According to the dashboard figures cited in the factsheet, 30,151 caregivers are listed, comprising 6,817 men and 23,334 women.

SAGE supports innovation in elderly care

The government’s Seniorcare Ageing Growth Engine (SAGE) initiative aims to encourage businesses developing products and services for the elderly, supporting the growth of India’s so-called silver economy.

Under the initiative, selected start-ups can receive financial assistance of up to ₹1 crore through equity participation. They are also offered mentoring and market linkages to help scale solutions designed to improve the quality of life of older people.

Through residential care, assistive technology, caregiver training, helpline services and start-up support, AVYAY and related initiatives seek to address different aspects of ageing in India.

With the elderly population expected to expand significantly over the coming decade, the reach and effectiveness of these programmes will be important in determining whether support systems can keep pace with the growing demand for healthcare, shelter and long-term care.