“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 1^st April, 2017. Briefing media persons here today, Shri Thaawarchand Gehlot, Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment said that the Physical Aids and Assisted-living Devices for Senior citizens will be distributed in Camp mode and the Scheme will be implemented through the sole implementing agency, ‘Artificial Limbs Manufacturing Corporation (ALIMCO)’, (a PSU under M/o SJ&E), which will undertake one year free maintenance 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 manifested. 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

 

 

 

 

 

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Sanjay Kumar/jk/M/o-SJ&E-01/23/03-2017

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