WELFARE OF SENIOR CITIZENS AND PWDS IN NORTH EASTERN STATES

Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment

WELFARE OF SENIOR CITIZENS AND PWDS IN NORTH EASTERN STATES

प्रविष्टि तिथि: 22 JUL 2026 6:15PM by PIB Delhi

The Department of Social Justice and Empowerment under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment is implementing an umbrella scheme Atal Vayo Abhyudaya Yojana (AVYAY) for the welfare of the senior citizens across the country including the state of Assam and the North Eastern States. Component-wise details are given at Annexure I.

The details of schemes being implemented by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment for the welfare of persons with disabilities are given at Annexure II.

Artificial Limbs Manufacturing Corporation (ALIMCO), a Public Sector Undertaking under the Department for Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities runs the Pradha Mantri Divyasha-Vayoshri Kendra (PMDVKs) for the welfare of senior citizens and persons with disabilities. At present, ALIMCO has opened 11 Pradhan Mantri Divyasha-Vayoshri Kendra (PMDVKs) in the Northeast region. ALMICO assesses the need for the opening of new centres from time to time and accordingly takes action.

Annexure I

Atal Vayo Abhyuday Yojana (AVYAY) has following components: -

Integrated Programme for Senior Citizens (IPSrC) - Grant in aid is provided to Non-Governmental/ Voluntary Organizations for running and maintenance of senior citizen homes (old age homes), continuous care homes, etc. Facilities like shelter, nutrition, Medicare and entertainments are provided free of cost to indigent senior citizens.
State Action Plan for Senior Citizens (SAPSrC)- Under State Action Plan for Senior Citizens (SAPSrC), the Government perceives a major and critical role of all State Governments in partnering and implementing the Action Plan for welfare of senior citizens. Grant in aid is provided to States/ UTs for activities like awareness generation, sensitization, cataract surgeries and State specific activities.
Elderline- A National Helpline for Senior Citizens (NHSC) is a toll- free number (14567) operating for 12 hours a day (8:00 AM to 8:00 PM) that provides free Information, Guidance, Emotional Support and Field Intervention in cases of abuse and rescues in order to improve the quality of life of senior citizens. This helpline was dedicated to the Nation on 01.10.2021 by the Vice President of India. As per the Scheme Guidelines, the National Institute of Social Defense (NISD) is the Central Nodal Agency (CNA) for Elder Line. No separate state-wise allocations are made under Elderline.
RashtriyaVayoshreeYojana (RVY)- ‘RashtriyaVayoshriYojana (RVY)’ objective is to provide senior citizens, belonging to BPL category or the senior citizen with the monthly income not more than Rs. 15,000/- and suffering from age related disabilities/ infirmities, with such physical aids and assisted living devices which can restore near normalcy in their bodily functions. The scheme was launched on 01.04.2017. The Scheme is implemented through the ‘Artificial Limbs Manufacturing Corporation (ALIMCO)’, (a Central Public Sector Enterprise) as the sole implementing Agency.
Senior care Ageing Growth Engine (SAGE) - SAGE objective is to promote out-of-the-box and innovative solutions for the commonly faced problems, innovative start-ups would be identified and encouraged for developing products, processes and services for the welfare of the elderly.
Training of Geriatric Care Givers- The main objective is to bridge the gap in supply and increasing demand in the field of geriatric caregivers so as to provide more professional services to the senior citizens and also to create a cadre of professional care givers in the field of geriatrics. National Institute of Social Defense (NISD) is the implementing agency for the scheme component.
Other Initiatives for Senior Citizens: In order to solve the problems of healthy and productive ageing, several initiatives are being done across the country. The proposed initiatives are aimed at involving the elders in building up knowledge which can be useful for the society as a whole. No separate State-wise allocations are made under this component.

Annexure II

The Department is implementing the Scheme of ‘Assistance to Persons with Disabilities for Purchase/Fitting of Aids /Appliances (ADIP)’which includes eligible senior citizens also. Under this scheme, funds are released to various Implementing Agencies for providing aids & assistive devices to the eligible persons with disabilities (PwDs) across the country.

Further, the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD) is implementing the Awareness Generation &Publicity (AGP) Scheme as a component of the Scheme for implementation of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act (SIPDA) across the country. The Scheme aims to create awareness about the rights, entitlements, welfare measures and programmes for empowerment of persons with disabilities and to sensitize Government functionaries, service providers and the general public on disability-related issues.

The information in respect of the Cross Disability Early Intervention Centre (CDEIC), a sub-scheme under the SIPDA scheme, may be seen as Appendix A.

DEPwD is also implementing the 'Scholarship Scheme for Students with Disabilities' on a Pan India basis, including Assam and other North Eastern States. The main objective of the scheme is to empower students with disabilities to continue their studies so that they can earn their livelihood and get a respectable place in the society as they face many obstacles related to physical, financial, psychological in continuing their studies and living a respectable life.The scheme consists of the following six components:-

Pre-matric (for classes IX and X).
Post-matric (for classes XI to postgraduate degree/diploma).
Higher education (for undergraduate and postgraduate degree/diploma in notified institutions of excellence in education).
National Fellowship (for M.Phil and Ph.D. in Indian universities).
National Overseas Scholarship (for postgraduate degree/doctorate from foreign universities).
Free coaching (for government recruitment examinations and entrance examinations to technical and professional courses).

The National Action Plan for Skill Development of Divyangjan (NAP-Skill provides skill development opportunities to Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) in the age group of 15 to 59 years. The objective of the scheme is to enhance their skills for gainful employment and to facilitate their transition towards self-reliance and economic participation. The skill training is provided through Government and Non-Government organizations empanelled as Training Partners with the Department.
Unique Disability ID (UDID) Scheme: It is a flagship initiative of the Government of India where hospitals notified by the State/UT Government has been on boarded for issuance of disability certificates and UDID cards through the centralized UDID portal (https://swavlambancard.gov.in/ ) to the eligible applicants who have applied through the portal.
Under the Deendayal Divyangjan Rehabilitation Scheme (DDRS), financial assistance is provided to voluntary organizations to make available a range of services necessary for rehabilitation of persons with disabilities, including early intervention, development of daily living skills, education and training with a view to inclusion of persons with disabilities in the mainstream of society and actualizing their potential, the thrust is on education and training programmes.

Appendix-A

The Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD) implements Cross Disability Early Intervention Centre (CDEIC) sub-scheme under the SIPDA scheme. Under the scheme, single window Cross Disability Early Intervention Centres (CDEICs) has been launched in various National Institutes (NIs) and Composite Regional Centers (CRCs) under DEPwD to give focused attention to children in the age bracket of 0-6 years. The CDEICs are equipped to provide services for screening and identification facilities for identification of risk cases and referring for appropriate rehabilitative services; therapeutic Services viz. Speech Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy and Parental/Peer Counseling. At present, 28 CDEICs have been approved in National Institutes and Composite Regional Centres in various States/UTs.

Further, the details of schemes of the National Trust for the Welfare of Persons with Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Mental Retardation (Intellectual Disability) and Multiple Disabilities being implemented for Persons with these categories of disabilities in Assam and other North Eastern States are as under –

There are 6 Disha centres in Assam and North Eastern States, as per detail given below-

S No.	State	District	Organization Name	Postal Address	Mobile No	Email
1	Assam	Dibrugarh	Mrinaljyoti Rehabilitation Centre	Mrinaljyoti Rehabilitation Centre, KumudnagarDuliajan, District: Dibrugarh, State: Assam, Pin Code:786602	9954487893	mrinaljyoti@yahoo.co.in
2	Assam	Jorhat	PreronaPratibandhiSishuBikash Kendra	Prerona _PratibandhiSishuBikash Kendra, Cinnamara, Jorhat-8	9854044474	prerona123@rediffmail.com
3	Assam	Kamrup Metro	ShishuSarothi Centre For Rehabilitation And Training For Multiple Disability,	Off, RK Mission Rd, Birubari, Guwahati, Assam 781016	9435040607	shishusarothi[at]gmail[dot]com
4	Manipur	Imphal West	Handicapped Development Foundation	SagolbandTeraPukhriMapal Near KebolHighschool, Imphal West - 795001, Manipur	8132097286	hdfoundationmanipur[at]gmail[dot]com
5	Manipur	Churachandpur	The Malsawm Initiative Run By Centre For Community Initiative	Nehru Marg, Central Lamka, Churachandpur 795128, Manipur	91 9612153082	info@communityinitiative.in
6	Meghalaya	East Khasi Hills	Bethany Society, JyotiSroat School,	Bethany Society Lady Veronica Lane, Laitumkhrah opposite Bansara Eye Care Shillong Meghalaya - 793003	8837065270	bethanyngo1981[at]gmail[dot]com learningsanctuary@bethanysociety.org

Samarth (Respite Care Scheme) - The objective of Samarth scheme is to provide respite care home for orphans or abandoned, families in crisis and also for Persons with Disabilities (Divyangjan) from BPL & LIG families including destitute with at least one of the four disabilities covered under the National Trust Act. The scheme provides for creating opportunities for family members to get respite time in order to fulfil other responsibilities. Under the Scheme Samarth Centres are set up for providing group home facility for all age groups with adequate and quality care service with acceptable living standards including provision of basic medical care from professional doctors.

Niramaya (Health Insurance Scheme) – The National Trust is implementing Niramaya - Health Insurance Scheme for persons with Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Intellectual Disabilities and Multiple Disabilities. Under the Scheme, there is an insurance cover of Rs.1 lakh, which covers OPD, Diagnostic Test, Therapies, Corrective Surgeries, Alternative Medicine and Transportation. There is no age bar for enrolment under the scheme, and the treatment can be taken from any authorized medical practitioner/health care center. Any person with the aforesaid conditions can avail benefit by paying a nominal fee. The enrolment/renewal fee is not charged for Divyangjan who have Legal Guardian other than natural parents.

This information is given by the Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, Shri Ramdas Athawale, in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha today.

*****

KV/HK

(रिलीज़ आईडी: 2287873) आगंतुक पटल : 101

Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment

WELFARE OF SENIOR CITIZENS AND PWDS IN NORTH EASTERN STATES

प्रविष्टि तिथि: 22 JUL 2026 6:15PM by PIB Delhi

Annexure I

Atal Vayo Abhyuday Yojana (AVYAY) has following components: -

Integrated Programme for Senior Citizens (IPSrC) - Grant in aid is provided to Non-Governmental/ Voluntary Organizations for running and maintenance of senior citizen homes (old age homes), continuous care homes, etc. Facilities like shelter, nutrition, Medicare and entertainments are provided free of cost to indigent senior citizens.
State Action Plan for Senior Citizens (SAPSrC)- Under State Action Plan for Senior Citizens (SAPSrC), the Government perceives a major and critical role of all State Governments in partnering and implementing the Action Plan for welfare of senior citizens. Grant in aid is provided to States/ UTs for activities like awareness generation, sensitization, cataract surgeries and State specific activities.
Elderline- A National Helpline for Senior Citizens (NHSC) is a toll- free number (14567) operating for 12 hours a day (8:00 AM to 8:00 PM) that provides free Information, Guidance, Emotional Support and Field Intervention in cases of abuse and rescues in order to improve the quality of life of senior citizens. This helpline was dedicated to the Nation on 01.10.2021 by the Vice President of India. As per the Scheme Guidelines, the National Institute of Social Defense (NISD) is the Central Nodal Agency (CNA) for Elder Line. No separate state-wise allocations are made under Elderline.
RashtriyaVayoshreeYojana (RVY)- ‘RashtriyaVayoshriYojana (RVY)’ objective is to provide senior citizens, belonging to BPL category or the senior citizen with the monthly income not more than Rs. 15,000/- and suffering from age related disabilities/ infirmities, with such physical aids and assisted living devices which can restore near normalcy in their bodily functions. The scheme was launched on 01.04.2017. The Scheme is implemented through the ‘Artificial Limbs Manufacturing Corporation (ALIMCO)’, (a Central Public Sector Enterprise) as the sole implementing Agency.
Senior care Ageing Growth Engine (SAGE) - SAGE objective is to promote out-of-the-box and innovative solutions for the commonly faced problems, innovative start-ups would be identified and encouraged for developing products, processes and services for the welfare of the elderly.
Training of Geriatric Care Givers- The main objective is to bridge the gap in supply and increasing demand in the field of geriatric caregivers so as to provide more professional services to the senior citizens and also to create a cadre of professional care givers in the field of geriatrics. National Institute of Social Defense (NISD) is the implementing agency for the scheme component.
Other Initiatives for Senior Citizens: In order to solve the problems of healthy and productive ageing, several initiatives are being done across the country. The proposed initiatives are aimed at involving the elders in building up knowledge which can be useful for the society as a whole. No separate State-wise allocations are made under this component.

Annexure II

The Department is implementing the Scheme of ‘Assistance to Persons with Disabilities for Purchase/Fitting of Aids /Appliances (ADIP)’which includes eligible senior citizens also. Under this scheme, funds are released to various Implementing Agencies for providing aids & assistive devices to the eligible persons with disabilities (PwDs) across the country.

Further, the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD) is implementing the Awareness Generation &Publicity (AGP) Scheme as a component of the Scheme for implementation of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act (SIPDA) across the country. The Scheme aims to create awareness about the rights, entitlements, welfare measures and programmes for empowerment of persons with disabilities and to sensitize Government functionaries, service providers and the general public on disability-related issues.

The information in respect of the Cross Disability Early Intervention Centre (CDEIC), a sub-scheme under the SIPDA scheme, may be seen as Appendix A.

DEPwD is also implementing the 'Scholarship Scheme for Students with Disabilities' on a Pan India basis, including Assam and other North Eastern States. The main objective of the scheme is to empower students with disabilities to continue their studies so that they can earn their livelihood and get a respectable place in the society as they face many obstacles related to physical, financial, psychological in continuing their studies and living a respectable life.The scheme consists of the following six components:-

Pre-matric (for classes IX and X).
Post-matric (for classes XI to postgraduate degree/diploma).
Higher education (for undergraduate and postgraduate degree/diploma in notified institutions of excellence in education).
National Fellowship (for M.Phil and Ph.D. in Indian universities).
National Overseas Scholarship (for postgraduate degree/doctorate from foreign universities).
Free coaching (for government recruitment examinations and entrance examinations to technical and professional courses).

The National Action Plan for Skill Development of Divyangjan (NAP-Skill provides skill development opportunities to Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) in the age group of 15 to 59 years. The objective of the scheme is to enhance their skills for gainful employment and to facilitate their transition towards self-reliance and economic participation. The skill training is provided through Government and Non-Government organizations empanelled as Training Partners with the Department.
Unique Disability ID (UDID) Scheme: It is a flagship initiative of the Government of India where hospitals notified by the State/UT Government has been on boarded for issuance of disability certificates and UDID cards through the centralized UDID portal (https://swavlambancard.gov.in/ ) to the eligible applicants who have applied through the portal.
Under the Deendayal Divyangjan Rehabilitation Scheme (DDRS), financial assistance is provided to voluntary organizations to make available a range of services necessary for rehabilitation of persons with disabilities, including early intervention, development of daily living skills, education and training with a view to inclusion of persons with disabilities in the mainstream of society and actualizing their potential, the thrust is on education and training programmes.

Appendix-A

There are 6 Disha centres in Assam and North Eastern States, as per detail given below-

S No.	State	District	Organization Name	Postal Address	Mobile No	Email
1	Assam	Dibrugarh	Mrinaljyoti Rehabilitation Centre	Mrinaljyoti Rehabilitation Centre, KumudnagarDuliajan, District: Dibrugarh, State: Assam, Pin Code:786602	9954487893	mrinaljyoti@yahoo.co.in
2	Assam	Jorhat	PreronaPratibandhiSishuBikash Kendra	Prerona _PratibandhiSishuBikash Kendra, Cinnamara, Jorhat-8	9854044474	prerona123@rediffmail.com
3	Assam	Kamrup Metro	ShishuSarothi Centre For Rehabilitation And Training For Multiple Disability,	Off, RK Mission Rd, Birubari, Guwahati, Assam 781016	9435040607	shishusarothi[at]gmail[dot]com
4	Manipur	Imphal West	Handicapped Development Foundation	SagolbandTeraPukhriMapal Near KebolHighschool, Imphal West - 795001, Manipur	8132097286	hdfoundationmanipur[at]gmail[dot]com
5	Manipur	Churachandpur	The Malsawm Initiative Run By Centre For Community Initiative	Nehru Marg, Central Lamka, Churachandpur 795128, Manipur	91 9612153082	info@communityinitiative.in
6	Meghalaya	East Khasi Hills	Bethany Society, JyotiSroat School,	Bethany Society Lady Veronica Lane, Laitumkhrah opposite Bansara Eye Care Shillong Meghalaya - 793003	8837065270	bethanyngo1981[at]gmail[dot]com learningsanctuary@bethanysociety.org

This information is given by the Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, Shri Ramdas Athawale, in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha today.

*****

KV/HK

(रिलीज़ आईडी: 2287873)