(a) the objectives of the scheme for providing Aids and Assistive Living Devices to Senior Citizens below poverty line and the total budgetary allocation for the scheme;
(b) whether the Government perceives that there is lack of awareness among the senior citizens about the scheme and if so, the details thereof; and
(c) the measures taken by the Government so far, to increase awareness regarding the scheme?
MINISTER OF STATE FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT
(SHRI VIJAY SAMPLA)
(a): The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has launched the ‘Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana (RVY)’ with an objective to provide senior citizens, belonging to BPL category and suffering from age related disabilities/ infirmities, with such physical aids and assisted living devices which can restore near normalcy in their bodily functions. Under the Scheme, assisted living devices such as walking sticks, elbow crutches, walkers/ crutches, tripods/ quadpods, hearing aids, wheelchairs, artificial dentures, spectacles are distributed to the beneficiary senior citizens. The Scheme is entirely funded from the Senior Citizens’ Welfare Fund (SCWF), established vide Senior Citizens’ Welfare Fund Rules, 2016 notified on 18.03.2016. The expected outlay for the Scheme till 2019-20 is Rs. 483.6 Crores.
(b) & (c): The National launch of Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana was held at Nellore (A.P.) on 1st April, 2017. A total of 187 districts from all States/UTs have been selected for Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana distribution camps. The Scheme is being implemented in camp mode nationwide, after giving wide publicity before holding the camps. As on date, 19 distribution camps have been organized at district level.
*****