New Delhi: Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs), housing societies and organisations working for senior citizens can now apply for financial assistance under Delhi govt’s Vayo Anand scheme, following its notification in the Delhi Gazette.
“To qualify, an organisation must be registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860, and its recreation centre must have at least 200 members aged 60 years or above.
Centres run from independent households will not qualify,” a senior govt official said. The social welfare department has opened the application process to support senior citizen recreation centres and meet their day-to-day expenses. The centre must be located in Delhi and operate from a govt or private community space. The scheme covers community spaces owned or rented by RWAs and cooperative group housing societies, as well as common spaces such as chaupals.
The grant will be released in two equal instalments annually. The first will be based on the annual inspection report of the district social welfare officer, while the second will follow submission of a utilisation certificate certified by the management committee and verified by the officer.
The centres must also hold storytelling sessions involving schoolchildren and children from institutional homes run by govt or NGOs. Activities marking International Yoga Day, International Day for Older Persons and National Day for Senior Citizens, besides national and religious festivals and tree plantation drives, are part of the prescribed programme. Retirement and bereavement counselling must be included, with each centre expected to organise at least five to six events annually.