Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana

Why is in news? 9 years of Modi Govt: Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana provides physical aids & assisted living devices to senior citizens

• A sizeable percentage of senior citizens suffer from some sort of disability related to old age and need aids like a walking stick, or wheelchair. There are many elders, whose economic condition is not so good that they can buy such necessary equipment for themselves in their old age.
• Keeping this in mind, Prime Minister launched the Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana in April 2017.
• Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana is scheme for providing Physical Aids and Assisted-living Devices for Senior citizens belonging to BPL category.
• This is a Central Sector Scheme, fully funded by the Central Government. The expenditure for implementation of the scheme is being met from the "Senior Citizens' Welfare Fund".
• The Scheme is being implemented by the Artificial Limbs Manufacturing Corporation (ALIMCO), a PSU under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
• Economically weak people above 60 years of age can take benefit of this scheme by applying online on the official website.
• This scheme is proving to be very helpful for those poor elderly people who have to depend on others for the assistive devices needed in old age. This scheme is helping such old age people to become self-reliant and live with dignity.
• Importance of the scheme:
• As per the Census of 2011, the population of senior citizens in India is 10.38 crore.
• More than 70% of the population of senior citizens live in rural areas of the country. A sizeable percentage (5.2%) of the senior citizens suffers from some sort of disabilities related to old age.
• Projections indicate that the number of elderly population will increase to around 173 million by 2026.
• The Government has hence devised the Central Sector Scheme to provide Physical aids and Assisted Living Devices for such senior citizens suffering from age related disabilities/ infirmities, who belong to BPL category.

Eligibility:

• Senior Citizens, belonging to BPL category and suffering from any of the age related disability/infirmity viz. Low vision, Hearing impairment, Loss of teeth and Locomotor disability will be provided with such assisted-living devices which can restore near normalcy in their bodily functions, overcoming the disability/infirmity manifested. The Scheme is expected to benefit 5,20,000 Senior Citizens across the country.

Features of the scheme:

• Free of cost distribution of the devices, commensurate with the extent of disability/infirmity that is manifested among the eligible senior citizens.
• In case of multiple disabilities/infirmities manifested in the same person, the assistive devices will be given in respect of each disability/impairment.
• ALIMCO will undertake one year free maintenance of the aids & assisted living devices.
• Beneficiaries in each district will be identified by the State Governments/UT Administrations through a Committee chaired by the Deputy Commissioner/District Collector.
• As far as possible, 30% of the beneficiaries in each district shall be women.
• The State Government/UT Administration/District Level Committee can also utilize the data of BPL beneficiaries receiving Old Age Pension under the NSAP or any other Scheme of the State/UT for identification of senior citizens belonging to BPL category.
• The devices will be distributed in Camp mode.