Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana

Why is in news? Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment is implementing the scheme of “Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana(RVY)”

The Prime Minister launched the Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana in April 2017.

The scheme has been revised in the year 2020-21. After the revision, the assisted-living devices are being provided to the senior citizens belonging to the BPL category and also to the senior citizens with monthly income not more than Rs.15000/-.

Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana is scheme for providing Physical Aids and Assisted-living Devices for Senior citizens belonging to BPL category.

This is a Central Sector Scheme, fully funded by the Central Government. The expenditure for implementation of the scheme is being met from the "Senior Citizens' Welfare Fund".

With the objective to provide the senior citizens, suffering from any of the age related disability/infirmity, with assisted living devices which can restore near normalcy in their bodily functions, overcoming the disability/infirmity manifested such as low vision, hearing impairment, loss of teeth and loco-motor disabilities.

The funds are released to the Artificial Limbs Manufacturing Corporation (ALIMCO), a Public Sector Undertaking under the administrative control of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, as a sole implementing agency of the scheme.

All the districts of the country have been selected for implementation of the RVY. The scheme is implemented in two steps in the districts:

Assessment Camp: In the assessment camp, the ALIMCO identifies the beneficiaries, suffering from the age related disability/infirmity, for required aids & appliances.

Distribution Camp: The aids & appliances are provided to the identified beneficiaries post assessment camp.

Features of the scheme:

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.

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.