Elder care is a shared social commitment, not merely a state responsibility. Critically examine.

India's elderly are projected to make up over 20% of the population by 2050 [6]. In launching the Vayo Samman Rashtriya Abhiyan (November 2026), MoSJE called elder welfare a "shared social commitment" [1]. The claim holds, but only if society's role adds to the State's duty under Article 41 and does not replace it.

Why elder care must be shared

• Social erosion: Migration and nuclear families have cut everyday contact between generations. Law or money alone cannot cure the loneliness that follows [1].
• Proven tool against ageism: The UN-WHO Global Report on Ageism names intergenerational contact as one of three strategies that work [5]. The Abhiyan's themes "Teach Me – I'll Teach You" and "Silver Skills" put this into practice [1].
• Seniors as contributors: The 5C model and Vayo SAATHI volunteers (aged 18+) treat elders as mentors, not passive beneficiaries [1].
• Early detection: A visiting volunteer may be the first outsider to notice abuse. About 5.2% of seniors reported ill-treatment in LASI Wave-I [4].

Why the State cannot step back

• Thin legal remedy: By 2013, only 19 States and 6 UTs had set up Maintenance Tribunals under the MWPSC Act, 2007 [3]. Without them, a volunteer has nowhere to refer abuse cases.
• Care infrastructure gaps: Only 482 of over 700 districts had elderly care homes. The Parliamentary Standing Committee sought at least one in each district [2].
• Income poverty: Over 40% of the elderly fall in the poorest wealth quintile, and about 18.7% have no income [6]. Goodwill cannot replace pensions.
• Digital exclusion: Volunteers register on the JEEVAN App and SCW SAMAVESH portal [1]. Digital-first channels like these risk missing the very old, rural and widowed women who need help most [6].
• Design and scale: WHO's Connecting Generations (2023) guide calls for planned, sustained intergenerational programmes [7]. One-off festive events will not deliver results.

Elder care is therefore a partnership: society provides companionship and respect, and the State provides rights, income and infrastructure. As a way forward, MoSJE should link every Vayo SAATHI to Elderline for referrals [4], States should staff tribunals, and a care home should be built in every district, as the Committee advised [2]. Outcomes such as loneliness and scheme uptake should be measured before the campaign is scaled. On these terms, the shared commitment helps fulfil Article 41's promise of ageing with dignity.