DoSJE, DGDE Sign MoU to Extend Senior Citizen Schemes to Cantonment Boards

MoU Between DoSJE and DGDE to extend senior citizen welfare schemes to cantonment boards across country

New Delhi, November 14

The signing ceremony will take place in the presence of the Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and the Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment, Virendra Kumar, as per the ministry.

The MoU aims to establish a framework for cooperation, coordination and convergence between the two organisations for implementing senior citizen welfare schemes under the Atal Vayo Abhyudaya Yojana (AVYAY) in Cantonment Boards across the country.

The partnership will leverage the infrastructure and administrative network of Cantonment Boards, along with the scheme support, financial assistance and technical expertise of the Department, to facilitate access to care, support and opportunities for active and dignified ageing.

The event will also be attended by Sudhansh Pant, Secretary, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment; Shobha Gupta, Director General Defence Estates, and other senior officials of both the Ministries and departments, a release said.

Speaking about the initiative, Sajeesh Kumar N, Joint Secretary in the Ministry, said the MoU represents a Whole-Of-Government approach towards the welfare of senior citizens. He said the well-established infrastructure and community-level presence of Cantonment Boards, in collaboration with the DGDE, will help extend senior citizen welfare services quickly to these areas.

The collaboration will also provide financial support for Senior Citizen Homes with residential facilities of 25/50-bed capacity, wherever feasible, to help strengthen institutional care facilities and expand access to residential support for senior citizens, the Official said.

The official said the MoU builds on the momentum of the Vayo Samman Rashtriya Abhiyan, a national campaign on intergenerational bonding launched by the Ministry on November 4.

The participation of young people as trained caregivers and their engagement in activities promoting intergenerational relationships will contribute towards creating a supportive and inclusive environment for senior citizens, the Official said.

Kumar N said the MoU will further promote intergenerational bonding through a pledge to be administered to students of schools run by Cantonment Boards, along with activities encouraging meaningful interaction between young people and senior citizens.

He said the initiative seeks to foster respect and understanding between generations while recognising senior citizens as valuable sources of experience, wisdom and values.

The Official said India's population aged 60 years and above is projected to increase from approximately 10 Crore in 2011 to around 23 Crore by 2036. He said that with changing family structures and increasing urbanisation, community-based facilities such as Day Care Centres and access to trained caregivers close to home are becoming increasingly important, he added.

The partnership with DGDE is expected to strengthen the availability of such services for senior citizens residing in Cantonment areas across the country, Kumar N said.

Under the MoU, new Day Care Centres and related facilities for senior citizens will be established in Cantonment Boards under AVYAY, the Official said. Existing Day Care Centres being operated by Cantonment Boards will also be strengthened with support and assistance from the Department, he added.

Kumar N said another key component of the partnership will be skill training for youth as geriatric caregivers through the training and channel partners of the Department, which will contribute towards creating a trained workforce for elderly care while opening up new livelihood opportunities for young people.

The Official said that awareness camps will also be organised to disseminate information about the Ministry's welfare schemes for senior citizens. Public representatives, prominent social workers and local communities will be mobilised to strengthen awareness and participation, he said.

Through this collaboration, the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment continues its efforts to strengthen institutional support, expand community-based care facilities and promote the socio-economic well-being of senior citizens by enabling them to lead dignified, secure and self-reliant lives, Kumar N remarked.

It is pertinent to mention that Atal Vayo Abhyudaya Yojana (AVYAY) is the umbrella scheme of the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment for the welfare of senior citizens. It aims to ensure that senior citizens lead healthy, happy, empowered, dignified and self-reliant lives. Its key components include the Integrated Programme for Senior Citizens, Senior Citizen Homes, Geriatric Caregiver Training, the National Helpline for Senior Citizens (Elderline - 14567), Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana and other initiatives promoting active and healthy ageing, a release added.

— ANI