The Central Government has released ₹77.98 crore in Grant-in-Aid to 755 projects under the Integrated Programme for Senior Citizens (IPSrC), a component of the Atal Vayo Abhyuday Yojana (AVYAY), for the quarter ending 30 September 2026 in the financial year 2026–27.
The release reflects the Government’s continued commitment to the welfare of senior citizens, according to the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
AVYAY is one of the Ministry’s flagship schemes and embodies the principles of ‘Ageing with Dignity’ and ‘Ageing in Place’, recognising the importance of enabling older persons to live with respect, security and independence.
Strengthening Care and Support for Senior Citizens
A senior Ministry official said the financial support aims to strengthen service delivery and welfare interventions for senior citizens through assisted institutional care and related facilities.
The official highlighted India’s demographic transition and the growing need for comprehensive and accessible support systems for senior citizens. With the country’s senior citizen population projected to reach 23 crore by 2036, the need for a comprehensive and responsive support system is becoming increasingly important.
The official said AVYAY seeks to address this demographic challenge by strengthening institutional mechanisms and encouraging community participation, enabling older persons to lead dignified, secure and meaningful lives.
According to Census 2011, India had 10.38 crore people aged 60 years and above, comprising 5.11 crore males and 5.27 crore females. The Longitudinal Ageing Study in India (LASI) highlights functional limitations among a substantial proportion of older persons, underscoring the need for reliable care, healthcare services and community-based support.
The official also noted that increasing urbanisation, migration and the growth of nuclear households are changing traditional family support structures, making institutional and community-based care increasingly important for senior citizens’ well-being.
AVYAY Brings Senior Citizen Welfare Interventions Under One Umbrella
Launched in 2021, AVYAY subsumed and expanded the earlier National Action Plan for Senior Citizens (NAPSrC), bringing multiple interventions for senior citizens under a unified umbrella scheme.
The scheme aims to provide functional support and promote active ageing by facilitating shelter, food, healthcare and recreational services. It also seeks to strengthen the capacities of governments, non-governmental organisations, local bodies and communities to support older persons.
The Ministry official said the scheme’s focus on ‘Ageing with Dignity’ is centred on respectful and empowering care that recognises the lifelong contributions of senior citizens.
‘Ageing in Place’ promotes an environment in which older persons can continue living safely in their own homes and communities, supported by suitable home modifications and specialised community-based services wherever required.
Centre, States and Districts Share Implementation Responsibilities
Through AVYAY, the Government continues to strengthen the ecosystem of care and support for senior citizens by combining institutional assistance, state-level planning and district-level monitoring. The scheme follows a holistic approach that places the dignity, well-being, independence and social inclusion of older persons at its centre.
The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, through the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment, serves as the nodal authority for AVYAY, undertaking policy formulation, financial support, monitoring and overall implementation of the scheme.
State and Union Territory Governments play an important role through the State Action Plan for Senior Citizens (SAPSrC) component. Under this framework, States and UTs prepare and implement action plans tailored to their respective requirements for senior citizen welfare, with financial support from the Ministry for formulating and implementing these plans.
At the district level, committees chaired by the District Collector or District Magistrate play a key role in selecting eligible indigent beneficiaries and monitoring senior citizen homes. This decentralised framework supports the identification of local needs and strengthens oversight of welfare services at the grassroots level.
-PIB inputs
