Centre Expands AVYAY Coverage to 435 Districts Nationwide

The Centre has expanded its flagship elderly welfare programme, the Atal Vayo Abhyudaya Yojana (AVYAY), while increasing financial support, widening institutional coverage and strengthening digital service delivery for senior citizens across the country.

Highlighting the government's commitment to “Ageing with Dignity” and “Ageing in Place,” Secretary, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Sudhansh Pant , said the Ministry released ₹24.06 crore as grant-in-aid for 202 projects under the Integrated Programme for Senior Citizens (IPSrC) for the quarter ending June 30, 2026, in the current financial year. The assistance supports a range of facilities, including Senior Citizen Homes, Continuous Care Homes, Mobile Medicare Units, Physiotherapy Centres and Regional Resource and Training Centres (RRTCs) that provide shelter, healthcare, nutrition and counselling services to elderly citizens.

The Atal Vayo Abhyudaya Yojana (AVYAY) , launched in 2021 after revamping the National Action Plan for Senior Citizens, serves as the Union Government's umbrella scheme for elderly welfare. The programme focuses on financial security, healthcare, shelter, protection of life and property, active ageing, accessibility and awareness generation , while promoting an age-friendly society amid India's rapidly growing senior citizen population.

Under the Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana (RVY) , a key component of AVYAY, the Ministry reported that 53,776 beneficiaries received 2,69,747 assistive living devices through camps and walk-in centres operated by the Artificial Limbs Manufacturing Corporation of India (ALIMCO) at Pradhan Mantri Divyasha Vayoshri Kendras (PMD-VKs) . The devices, including wheelchairs, walking aids, hearing aids, spectacles and dentures, are intended to improve mobility and independence among economically weaker elderly persons suffering from age-related disabilities.

In a significant expansion of outreach, the government has extended the coverage of Senior Citizen Homes to 435 districts , bringing 30 additional gap districts under the AVYAY framework. The move is expected to improve access to institutional care and support services in underserved regions.

The Ministry has also embraced digital governance through the launch of the JEEVAN (Joint Elderly Empowerment & Virtual Assistance Network) mobile app and the SHATAYU (Senior Holistic Care Assistance and Training For Your Utility) dashboard , unveiled by Union Minister Dr. Virendra Kumar . The platforms aim to improve beneficiary access, service delivery, grievance redressal and monitoring of welfare schemes.

Beyond welfare assistance, the Ministry is working to develop a robust Care Economy for India's ageing population. A national workshop involving central ministries, state governments, academia and stakeholders was recently organised to discuss caregiver training, home-based care services and sustainable elderly-care infrastructure.

Promoting healthy ageing has also emerged as a key focus area. On International Day of Yoga 2026 , celebrated under the theme “Yoga for Healthy Ageing,” around 1,300 senior citizens participated in a special event at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi . Senior Citizen Homes, RRTCs and partner organisations joined the celebrations nationwide, while the Brahma Kumaris organised a separate yoga programme at the Red Fort attended by nearly 20,000 participants .

Further strengthening community engagement, the Ministry signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with All World Gayatri Pariwar at Shantikunj, Haridwar , to promote awareness, wellness, community outreach and inter-generational bonding activities. The initiative reflects the Centre's broader effort to transform AVYAY from a welfare programme into a comprehensive ecosystem supporting healthcare, assisted living, social participation and dignified ageing for millions of senior citizens.