Centre launches nationwide campaign to bridge generational gap & support senior citizens

The Centre will launch a nationwide campaign on Wednesday to strengthen engagement between senior citizens and younger generations, with a focus on social inclusion, mutual respect and greater youth participation 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 New Delhi, the ministry said on Tuesday.

The campaign aims to establish sustained interaction between generations and recognise senior citizens as active contributors to society rather than merely recipients of welfare support.

It will follow a five-point framework — 'Connect, Converse, Co-create, Contribute and Continue' — to encourage meaningful relationships through regular community participation.

The initiative comes amid a significant demographic shift in India. The population aged 60 years and above is projected to increase from around 10 crore in 2011 to 23 crore by 2036. Their share of the country's total population is expected to rise from 8.4% to 14.9% during the same period, according to the ministry.

Urbanisation, migration, changing family structures and evolving social patterns have reduced opportunities for regular interaction between generations in many communities, the ministry said. The campaign seeks to address social isolation among older persons and strengthen community-based support systems.

Digital assistance, mentorship and wellness programmes

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 focus on companionship, cultural exchange, oral history, digital literacy, health awareness, skill-sharing and mentorship.

Young volunteers will also help senior citizens access digital services and identify potential cyber fraud, the ministry said.

A key component will be the launch of 'Vayo SAATHI' — Support, Awareness, Assistance, Training, Health and Inclusion — a digitally enabled volunteer initiative aimed at building a nationwide network to support older persons.

Citizens aged 18 years and above can register as volunteers and contribute their time, skills and resources to senior citizens at the grassroots level.

Volunteers will act as friends, facilitators and support persons, helping older persons access welfare services, information, community activities and digital assistance.