Union Minister Dr. Virendra Kumar to Launch ‘Vayo Samman Rashtriya Abhiyan’ Tomorrow

Rolled out under the umbrella of the Atal Vayo Abhyuday Yojana (AVYAY), the national initiative aims to institutionalise sustained intergenerational solidarity between senior citizens and the nation’s youth.

Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment, Dr Virendra Kumar, will preside over the launch ceremony. The campaign comes at a pivotal moment in India’s demographic transition—the country’s population aged 60 and above is projected to surge from 10 crore in 2011 to 23 crore by 2036, expanding its share of the total population from 8.4% to 14.9%.

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                           THE '5C' MODEL                                │
├─────────────┬───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ Connect     │ Build community platforms for cross-generational meeting │
│ Converse    │ Share life stories, oral history, and traditional wisdom │
│ Co-Create   │ Collaborate on joint projects and creative endeavors      │
│ Contribute  │ Pool youth technology and senior skills for social good   │
│ Continue    │ Turn one-time events into sustained community practices   │
└─────────────┴───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Driven by the Innovative ‘5C’ Framework

Rather than treating elderly welfare purely as a charitable endeavour, the campaign redefines senior citizens as active mentors, skilled contributors, and repositories of cultural wisdom. The movement is built around a structured 5C Model:

• Connect: Creating regular community interaction channels across educational hubs and social platforms.

• Converse: Facilitating meaningful dialogue, storytelling, and mutual empathy.

• Co-create: Encouraging collaborative initiatives drawing on youth energy and elder experience.

• Contribute: Enabling both generations to offer their unique skill sets toward local development.

• Continue: Embedding these interactions into the long-term social fabric rather than one-off events.

Dynamic Thematic Areas & Digital Inclusion

The campaign will unfold across 12 thematic areas tailored to foster companionship and practical assistance:

Mobilising Citizens via the ‘Vayo SAATHI’ Movement

A cornerstone of the launch is the Vayo SAATHI (Support, Awareness, Assistance, Training, Health and Inclusion) volunteer drive. Open to all citizens aged 18 and above—including students, young professionals, and community volunteers—the initiative aims to build a grassroots network of facilitators to support older citizens.

Interested individuals can register via the SCW SAMAVESH Portal or the JEEVAN App. Upon completion of service milestones, registered volunteers will receive an official Vayo SAATHI Certificate recognising their civic contributions.

Institutional Support & Strategic Partnerships

To ensure standardised execution across all administrative tiers, Dr Virendra Kumar will release an official Campaign Implementation Handbook. The guide details operational roles for State governments, District administrations, educational institutions, and Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs).

Furthermore, the Department will sign two key Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with the Shri Ram Chandra Mission (SRCM) and the Adhyatma Vigyan Satsang Kendra (AVSK), Jodhpur. These strategic partnerships will bring meditation, yoga, walkathons, and structured wellness programming directly to community hubs nationwide.