The Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment on Wednesday said it is supporting over 708 NGOs operating continuous care homes, physiotherapy centres, old age homes, and mobile medicare units through the Integrated Programme for Senior Citizens (IPSrC).

Around 2.24 lakh senior citizens availed a wide range of services including health check-ups, physiotherapy, counselling, and recreational activities, contributing to their physical, emotional, and mental well-being during the last five years, it further said.

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The Ministry has undertaken several impactful initiatives designed to promote the well-being of senior citizens over the past year.

The fourth meeting of the National Council for Senior Citizens was held here, under the chairmanship of Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment, Dr. Virendra Kumar. The meeting served as a crucial platform for reviewing existing schemes, discussing emerging needs, and setting a forward-looking agenda aligned with the vision of Viksit Bharat @2047. The Council stressed the importance of ensuring that every senior citizen in the country lives with dignity, respect, and active engagement in society.

During the meeting, the Council undertook a detailed review of the progress under Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana (RVY) and Integrated Programme for Senior Citizens (IPSrC), Senior Citizen Portal in terms of enhancing quality, post-distribution follow-up, and expanding the scope to include the digital inclusion of senior citizens.

There was discussion on the National Policy for Senior Citizens (NPSC) to reflect demographic realities—especially with the elderly projected to constitute 20 per cent of India’s population by 2047.

The Council also explored strategies to establish a dedicated grievance redressal mechanism to address abuse and neglect, implementation of minimum standards for old age homes across the country and senior care institutions, while promoting community engagement and intergenerational bonding.

Further emphasis was placed on institutionalizing the participation of NGOs and senior citizen associations in policy formulation, implementation, and feedback mechanisms to ensure last-mile delivery and contextual relevance.

Recurring themes that emerged from this and previous Council meetings included the urgent need for inter-ministerial convergence in addressing elderly issues, leveraging technology for elderly welfare, centralized data systems, and a broader philosophical shift from welfare to empowerment—positioning the elderly as active stakeholders in India’s development journey.

Under the Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana (RVY), more than 5 lakh beneficiaries from across 371 districts received free assistive living devices. Camps, organised in partnership with ALIMCO, included on-the-spot medical assessments and delivery of devices thereby improving accessibility and enhancing the quality of life for the elderly.

The International Day of Older Persons (IDOP) 2024 was observed nationwide with the participation of over 2.5 lakh elderly citizens. The events featured cultural performances, digital literacy workshops, intergenerational dialogues, and health awareness camps—creating platforms for inclusion, respect, and visibility of senior citizens in public life.

The Ministry also organised a unique mega cultural event, ‘Aradhana’, which showcased the immense talent and vitality of elderly artists. Over 100 senior performers aged 60 and above took to the stage with performances in classical music, folk dance, and theatre, reaffirming the message that ageing is not a limitation but a celebration of experience, creativity, and lifelong contribution.

In addition, more than 500 awareness and sensitization workshops were conducted across states and union territories to address issues such as elder abuse, legal rights, and access to welfare schemes. These outreach efforts reached over three lakh citizens, including caregivers and youth, strengthening community-based care and creating awareness about ageing-related challenges.