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The Department of Social Justice and Empowerment will sign an MoU with the Directorate General Defence Estates on 16 November 2026 to extend Atal Vayo Abhyudaya Yojana senior citizen schemes to Cantonment Boards across the country.
Why in news
- PIB (14 November 2026) said the MoU will be signed in New Delhi on Monday, 16 November, in presence of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Social Justice Minister Dr Virendra Kumar.
- It sets a framework for cooperation, coordination and convergence to implement AVYAY in Cantonment Boards.
- It builds on the Vayo Samman Rashtriya Abhiyan, launched by the Ministry on 4 November 2026.
Fact table
| Point | Detail |
|---|---|
| Signing date | 16 November 2026, New Delhi |
| Parties | DoSJE and DGDE (Ministry of Defence) |
| Scheme | Atal Vayo Abhyudaya Yojana (AVYAY) |
| Day care | New centres; existing ones strengthened |
| Senior Citizen Homes | 25 or 50 beds, wherever feasible |
| Skilling | Youth trained as geriatric caregivers |
| Intergenerational step | Pledge for students of Cantonment Board schools |
| Population 60+ (projection) | About 10 crore in 2011 to about 23 crore by 2036 |
- MoU signed
- New day care centres
- Caregiver training for youth
- Awareness camps
- Wider elderly care in cantonments
Static link-back
- AVYAY is the umbrella scheme of the Department for the welfare of senior citizens.
- Cantonment Boards are civic bodies in military station areas, supported by the Directorate General Defence Estates.
- The Joint Secretary described the MoU as a Whole-Of-Government approach.
- Rising life expectancy and urbanisation make community day care and trained caregivers more important.
Uttar Pradesh angle
For GS-V, the link is that Cantonment Boards in Uttar Pradesh towns come under the extension across the country, so elderly residents there can use the new day care and caregiver services. Compare with state-level old age welfare programmes of the Uttar Pradesh social welfare department.
Likely confusions
- AVYAY is a Centre scheme of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, not a Ministry of Defence scheme.
- DGDE belongs to the Ministry of Defence; DoSJE belongs to the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
- The MoU is a cooperation framework; it is not a new law or scheme.
Key Terms
- AVYAY
- Atal Vayo Abhyudaya Yojana, umbrella scheme for senior citizen welfare.
- DGDE
- Directorate General Defence Estates under the Ministry of Defence.
- Cantonment Board
- Local civic body managing a military cantonment area.
- MoU
- Memorandum of Understanding, a cooperation agreement.
- Geriatric caregiver
- Trained worker who looks after elderly persons.
- Intergenerational bonding
- Building respect and interaction between young and old.
UPPSC syllabus: GS-II
FAQs
What is AVYAY?
It is the umbrella scheme of the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment for senior citizen welfare.
Sources: PIB: MoU Between DoSJE and DGDE to Extend Senior Citizen Welfare Schemes to Cantonment Boards
Last verified: 2026-11-15
