New Delhi, Nov 3 The Centre will launch a nationwide campaign on Wednesday to promote sustained engagement between senior citizens and younger generations, with a focus on mutual respect, social inclusion and active participation of youth in the welfare of older persons.
Union Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Virendra Kumar will launch the ‘Vayo Samman Rashtriya Abhiyan’ under the Atal Vayo Abhyuday Yojana (AVYAY) in the national capital, the ministry said.
The campaign seeks to institutionalise meaningful and sustained engagement between generations, fostering mutual respect, understanding, companionship and shared responsibility. It aims to recognise senior citizens as contributors to society and mobilise youth participation in promoting dignified ageing, the ministry said.
The initiative is based on a five-point model of ‘Connect, Converse, Co-create, Contribute and Continue’, which provides a framework for building meaningful relationships between generations and sustaining them through regular community participation.
The campaign comes against the backdrop of India’s changing demographic profile, with the population aged 60 years and above projected to increase from approximately 10 crore in 2011 to 23 crore by 2036. Its share in the total population is expected to rise from 8.4 per cent to 14.9 per cent during the period, the ministry said.
Urbanisation, migration, changing family structures and evolving social patterns have, in many instances, reduced opportunities for regular interaction between generations, underlining the need for a structured approach to addressing social isolation and strengthening community support systems, it said.
The campaign will be implemented across 12 thematic areas, including ’30 Minutes Together’, ‘Teach Me — I’ll Teach You’, ‘My Story, My India’, ‘Digital Dada-Dadi/Digital Saathi’, ‘Generation Health and Wellness’ and ‘Silver Skills – Seniors as Mentors’.
The activities will promote companionship, oral history and cultural exchange, digital literacy, health awareness, wellness, skill-sharing and mentorship. Young people will also be encouraged to help senior citizens navigate digital services and identify potential cyber fraud, the ministry said.
A key component of the campaign will be the launch of ‘Vayo SAATHI’ (Support, Awareness, Assistance, Training, Health and Inclusion), a digitally enabled volunteer initiative to mobilise citizens and institutions in support of the welfare, dignity and social inclusion of senior citizens.
Open to all citizens aged 18 years and above, the initiative seeks to develop a nationwide network of volunteers who can contribute their time, skills and resources to support older persons at the grassroots level.
Volunteers will serve as friends, facilitators, connectors and support persons, helping senior citizens access information, welfare services, community activities and digital assistance, the ministry said.
Interested citizens can register through the Senior Citizens Welfare (SCW) SAMAVESH Portal or the JEEVAN App. Registered volunteers will receive a Vayo SAATHI certificate in recognition of their participation and contribution.
Kumar will also release a handbook outlining the campaign’s objectives, implementation framework, thematic activities and mechanisms for community participation. It will detail the roles and responsibilities of states, districts and community institutions to facilitate coordinated implementation and wider outreach.
As part of the launch programme, the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment will sign two memoranda of understanding with Shri Ram Chandra Mission and Adhyatma Vigyan Satsang Kendra, Jodhpur, to promote the holistic well-being of senior citizens through meditation, yoga and other wellness-oriented programmes.
The partnerships will also support intergenerational engagement through community-based activities and sensitisation initiatives, including pledge drives and walkathons, the ministry said.
The department has invited citizens, educational institutions, universities, youth organisations, NGOs, resident welfare associations, community institutions and corporate social responsibility partners to participate in the campaign and register as Vayo SAATHI volunteers.
The Atal Vayo Abhyuday Yojana is a flagship initiative of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment aimed at promoting the welfare, care, protection and empowerment of senior citizens.
(PTI News)
