Atal Vayo Abhyuday Yojana
Also called: AVYAY · Topic: Safeguards for Vulnerable Sections: SCs, STs, OBCs, Minorities, Women and Children · NCERT: Beyond NCERT
Meaning
Atal Vayo Abhyuday Yojana (AVYAY) is the Centre's umbrella scheme for the welfare of senior citizens, meaning people aged 60 or above. An umbrella scheme is one big scheme that holds several smaller ones. It is run by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment and came into force on 1 April 2021. It replaced the older National Action Plan for Senior Citizens (NAPSrC), and Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana (started in 2017) was later folded into it.
Its main parts are:
- IPSrC: Grant-in-Aid, meaning money given to NGOs to run homes and care units.
- SAPSrC: action plans that States and UTs make with money from the Ministry.
- Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana: free assistive devices, such as hearing aids or walking aids, for BPL seniors.
- Elderline 14567: a national helpline.
It gives shelter, food, healthcare and recreation under the ideas of "Ageing with Dignity" and "Ageing in Place". It puts into practice Article 41, which asks the State to give public assistance in old age.
Example
A poor elderly widow with no family support can live in a senior citizen home run by an NGO and paid for under IPSrC. If she faces abuse, she can call Elderline 14567, which was launched in October 2021. In each district, a committee chaired by the District Magistrate picks the people who get help and checks on these homes.
Don't confuse with
- Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007: this is a law. It makes children legally bound to support their parents, and Tribunals enforce that duty. AVYAY is a scheme that provides care. It does not create legal rights.
- IGNOAPS (old-age pension): this gives cash pensions and is run by the Ministry of Rural Development. AVYAY provides care services, not income.
Recent developments
- Nov 2026: Union Minister Dr Virendra Kumar launched the Vayo Samman Rashtriya Abhiyan under AVYAY. It is a national intergenerational bonding campaign, meaning it brings young and old people together through companionship, shared activities and skill exchange. It uses a 5C model (Connect → Converse → Co-create → Contribute → Continue) and has twelve themes. Why it matters: AVYAY now does more than fund homes and care units. The campaign treats seniors as contributors and mentors, which moves policy from a welfare approach to one built on participation and dignity.
- 10 Nov 2026: The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment opened registration for Vayo SAATHI volunteers (Support, Awareness, Assistance, Training, Health, Inclusion). Any citizen aged 18 or above can register on the SCW SAMAVESH portal (web) or the JEEVAN app (mobile) and earns a Vayo SAATHI Certificate. Why it matters: this is a likely Prelims trap. 18+ is the volunteer age, while 60+ is the age of the people AVYAY helps.