The Social Justice Ministry will launch the "Vayo Samman Rashtriya Abhiyan", a national campaign to bring senior citizens and younger people closer, in New Delhi on 4 November.
Minister Virendra Kumar will launch it under the Atal Vayo Abhyuday Yojana. A senior ministry official said it is meant as a community-driven movement and not only a welfare programme, involving families, schools, youth and voluntary groups.
The 5C model and activities
The campaign is built on five steps: Connect, Converse, Co-create, Contribute and Continue. It will run across twelve thematic areas, including "30 Minutes Together", "Teach Me – I'll Teach You", "My Story, My India" and "Digital Dada-Dadi / Digital Saathi". A volunteer initiative, Vayo SAATHI, is meant to mobilise citizens aged 18 and above to help senior citizens.
Why now
The official said the population aged 60 and above is projected to grow from about 10 crore in 2011 to 23 crore by 2036, rising from 8.4 per cent to 14.9 per cent of the population, while changing family patterns have reduced contact between generations.
Source: official release by the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, issued through the Press Information Bureau, Government of India (03 NOV 2026 4:54PM by PIB Delhi). Read the full official text: Union Minister Dr Virendra Kumar to Launch ‘Vayo Samman Rashtriya Abhiyan’, a National Intergenerational Bonding Campaign, Tomorrow in National Capital.
How we verified this
VerifiedEvery fact, figure and quotation is taken from the official PIB release (Release ID 2332088) issued by the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment on 03 NOV 2026 4:54PM by PIB Delhi; checked against the source on publication. Story written by BDT from that release; no outside facts added.
Sources
- 1.Union Minister Dr Virendra Kumar to Launch ‘Vayo Samman Rashtriya Abhiyan’, a National Intergenerational Bonding Campaign, Tomorrow in National Capital — Press Information Bureau, Government of India
