The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment aims to launch a Poshan Abhiyan for the Elderly, to provide nutrition support to the indigent elders, who are not staying in the Old Age Homes and are victims of severe malnutrition, by focusing on procuring locally available healthy food material and serving hot-cooked mid-day meals. The Gram Panchayats and Urban Municipalities are the implementing agencies of the Scheme. The funding for the Scheme is from the Senior Citizens Welfare Fund.
According to the ‘Report of Government of India’s Technical Group on Population Projection for India and States’ brought out in July 2020, till the year 2036, the population of senior citizens would be 22.74 crores (14.9%).
To ensure dignified aging, the Government of India has been implementing schemes and programmes under ‘National Action Plan for Senior Citizens’, an Umbrella Scheme for Senior Citizens, which includes financial security, healthcare and nutrition, shelter and welfare, protection of life and property, active and productive aging and awareness generation.
