‘Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana’ to be launched on 1st April, 2017 in Nellore, Andhra Pradesh

‘Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana’ to be launched on 1st April, 2017 in Nellore, Andhra Pradesh 

“Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana”, a ‘Scheme for providing Physical Aids and Assisted-living Devices for Senior citizens belonging to BPL category’ will be launched in District Nellore, Andhra Pradesh on 1st

April, 2017. Briefing media persons here today, Shri Thaawarchand Gehlot, Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment (सशक्तिकरण) said that the Physical Aids and Assisted-living Devices for Senior citizens will be distributed(वितरित) in Camp mode and the Scheme will be implemented (कार्यान्वित) through the sole implementing agency, ‘Artificial Limbs Manufacturing Corporation (ALIMCO)’, (a PSU under M/o SJ&E), which will undertake one year free maintenance (रखरखाव)of the aids & assisted living devices. The devices will help the Senior Citizens to overcome their age related physical impairment and to lead a dignified and productive life with minimal dependence on care givers or other members of the family. The ambitious Scheme, first of its kind in the country is expected to benefit 5,20,000 Senior Citizens over a period of the 3 years, he added.

Ministers of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Shri Krishan Pal Gurjar and Shri Vijay Sampla were also present.

As per the Census figures 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 Central Government proposes to launch a new Central Sector Scheme to be put in place to provide Physical aids and Assisted Living Devices for such senior citizens suffering from age related disabilities/ infirmities, who belong to BPL category.

The proposal for formulation of a Scheme for providing Physical Aids and Assisted-Living Devices for Senior Citizens belonging to BPL Category was announced in the Budget 2015-16. Pursuant to this, the “Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana” has been formulated.  The Scheme aims at providing 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, with such assisted-living devices which can restore near normalcy in their bodily functions, overcoming the disability/infirmity (दुर्बलता) manifested(प्रकट). The assistive devices shall be of high quality and conforming to the standards laid down by the Bureau of Indian Standards, wherever applicable.

This is a Central Sector Scheme, fully funded by the Central Government. The expenditure for implementation of the scheme will be met from the "Senior Citizens' Welfare Fund". Under the Scheme, the following Aids and Assisted-Living Devices will be provided to eligible elderly beneficiary senior citizens, depending upon their physical impairment :-

1.                  Walking sticks

2.                  Elbow crutches

3.                  Walkers / Crutches

4.                  Tripods / Quadpods

5.                  Hearing Aids

6.                  Wheelchair

7.                  Artificial Dentures  

8.                  Spectacles           

  

Salient features of the Scheme are as under:-

·         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.

·         The devices will help the Senior Citizens to overcome their age related physical impairment and to lead a dignified and productive life with minimal dependence on care givers or other members of the family.

·         The Scheme will be implemented through the sole implementing agency, ‘Artificial Limbs Manufacturing Corporation (ALIMCO)’, (a PSU under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment).

·           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.

·         The expected financial outlay over the next three years (i.e. upto 2019-20) is Rs. 483.6 Crores.

The ambitious Scheme, first of its kind in the country is expected to benefit 5,20,000 Senior Citizens over a period of the 3 years.

                                                                          

State/Union Territory-wise list of districts selected for implementation of the 'Scheme of Providing Physical Aids and Assisted-Living Devices to Senior Citizens in BPL category' during 2016-17

S. NO.

STATE/ UT

DISTRICT

1.

Andaman and Nicobar Islands

South Andaman, Middle & North Andaman

2.

Andhra Pradesh

Vishakhapatnam

Nellore

3.

Arunachal Pradesh

West Kameng

Pasinghat

4.

Assam

Kamrup

Sonipur

5.

Bihar

Buxar

West Champaran

6.

Chandigarh

Chandigarh

7.

Chhattisgarh

Raipur

Bastar

8.

Dadra and Nagar Haveli

Dadra and Nagar Haveli

9.

Daman and Diu

Daman and Diu

10.

Goa

North Goa

South Goa

11.

Gujarat

Vadodara

Ahmadabad

12.

Haryana

Karnal

Ambala

13.

Himachal Pradesh

Shimla

Hamirpur

14.

Jammu and Kashmir

Srinagar

Udhampur

15.

Jharkhand

Gumla

Ranchi

16.

Karnataka

South Bangalore

Dharwad

17.

Kerala

Kochi

Thiruvananthapuram

18.

Madhya Pradesh

Khandwa

Ujjain

19.

Maharashtra

Nagpur

Dhule

20.

Delhi

Karol Bagh

Chandni Chowk

21.

Odisha

Sundargarh

Angul

22.

Punjab

Gurdaspur

Hoshiarpur

23.

Rajasthan

Jhalawar

Bikaner

24.

Tamil Nadu

Kanyakumari

South Chennai

25.

Telangana

Hyderabad

Karimnagar

26.

Uttar Pradesh                    

Lucknow

Varanasi

27.

Uttarakhand

Haridwar

Almora

28.

West Bengal

Asansol

Darjeeling

29.

Manipur

Imphal (West)

Imphal (East)

30.

Meghalaya

East Jaintia Hills

Ri Bhoi

31.

Mizoram

Aizwal

Champhai

32.

Nagaland

Dimapur

Kohima

33.

Tripura

Unokoti

Dhalai

34.

Lakshadweep

Lakshadweep

35.

Puducherry

Olukara

Karaikal

36.

Sikkim

East Sikkim

South Sikkim