‘Every district must have a senior citizens home’: Centre pushes for stronger welfare initiatives in NE

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaMarch 4, 2025

The Department of Social Justice and Empowerment held a crucial review meeting in Guwahati on Monday, bringing together officials from all eight northeastern states to assess the implementation of key central government welfare schemes.

Union Secretary Amit Yadav, who chaired the session, emphasized the urgent need for every district to have at least one senior citizens home, underlining the government’s commitment to improving the lives of the elderly through the Atal Vayo Abhyuday Yojana (AVYAY).

Yadav highlighted the importance of providing assistive devices to senior citizens and ensuring that funds allocated for their welfare are fully utilized. He also reviewed various schemes aimed at empowering marginalized communities, including scholarship programs for Scheduled Castes (SCs), rehabilitation programs for beggars, the NAMASTE scheme for sanitation workers and welfare initiatives for the transgender community.

A key highlight of the discussion was the National Overseas Scholarship Scheme for SC students, which supports low-income students from SCs, Denotified Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Tribes, Landless Agricultural Labourers, and Traditional Artisans in pursuing Masters and Ph.D. programs abroad. Yadav stressed the need for greater awareness in the Northeast, where knowledge about this life-changing initiative remains limited.

Yadav underscored the importance of coordination between the central and state governments, urging state officials to ensure effective monitoring and transparent fund utilization—especially in the Northeast, which receives substantial financial aid to support vulnerable communities.

A detailed review of major schemes—including Pre-Matric and Post-Matric Scholarships for SCs, PM-YASASVI, NAMASTE, NAPDDR, AVYAY, and NISD—was conducted, with officials presenting updates on their status in each northeastern state. Yadav urged them to enhance implementation, boost outreach, and increase public awareness so that beneficiaries can access these programs seamlessly.

The meeting saw participation from Amit Kumar Ghosh, Additional Secretary, and Debolina Thakur, Joint Secretary & Financial Adviser, along with other senior officials and dignitaries.

With the government pushing for stronger welfare initiatives, the onus is now on state authorities to ensure last-mile delivery and real impact across the Northeast.