‘JEEVAN’ and ‘SHATAYU’ Digital Platforms Launched to Strengthen Elderly Care System

In a major step towards improving the quality of life, safety, healthcare access and social support for senior citizens, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has launched two important digital initiatives — the “JEEVAN” mobile application and the “SHATAYU” geriatric caregiver dashboard.

The platforms were launched by Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Dr. Virendra Kumar during the National Workshop on “Creating a Well-Functioning Care Economy,” highlighting the Government’s growing focus on technology-driven elderly care and inclusive welfare systems.

The initiatives are aimed at creating a stronger elder care ecosystem in India by integrating digital support services, healthcare access, caregiving assistance, welfare information and emergency support under user-friendly technology platforms designed specifically for senior citizens.

JEEVAN App Introduced for Safety, Welfare and Social Inclusion of Senior Citizens

The newly launched JEEVAN application — short for Joint Elderly Empowerment & Virtual Assistance Network — has been developed as a dedicated digital platform to address the everyday needs and challenges faced by senior citizens across the country.

The mobile application seeks to improve the safety, dignity, healthcare accessibility and social inclusion of elderly citizens by providing easy access to various welfare services and support systems through a single digital interface.

The Ministry stated that the app has been carefully designed with simplified navigation and accessibility-friendly features keeping in mind the technological comfort and usability needs of elderly users.

Officials said the initiative represents an important step toward ensuring that senior citizens are not excluded from the rapidly expanding digital governance ecosystem.

Key Features of the JEEVAN Mobile Application

The JEEVAN platform offers a wide range of integrated services and information resources for elderly citizens. Some of the major features include:

Information on Government Welfare Schemes

Senior citizens can access details about various government schemes, pension programmes, healthcare initiatives, financial assistance programmes and social welfare benefits available for elderly individuals.

Emergency Assistance and Support Services

The app includes emergency support mechanisms that can help elderly citizens connect with relevant authorities and assistance services during urgent situations.

Details of Senior Citizen Homes

Users can access information regarding senior citizen homes and care institutions supported by the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment.

User-Friendly Interface

The application has been developed with simplified functionalities, easy navigation systems, larger accessibility features and elderly-friendly design elements to ensure ease of use.

Social Inclusion and Digital Empowerment

The platform aims to reduce isolation among elderly citizens by connecting them with support networks, welfare resources and caregiving ecosystems.

Officials believe the app can become a central digital support system for elderly welfare as India’s ageing population continues to grow rapidly in the coming decades.

SHATAYU Dashboard to Strengthen Elderly Caregiving Services

Alongside JEEVAN, the Ministry also launched another major initiative called SHATAYU — Senior Holistic Care Assistance and Training For Your Utility.

The SHATAYU dashboard has been specifically developed to support and strengthen caregiving services for senior citizens across India by improving access to trained geriatric caregivers and care-related information.

The dashboard seeks to bridge gaps in elderly caregiving infrastructure, particularly at a time when demand for professional elder care services is increasing due to changing family structures, urbanisation and rising life expectancy.

Caregiver Availability Information at District and State Level

One of the major features of the SHATAYU platform is its ability to provide information regarding the availability of geriatric caregivers across districts and states.

This feature can help elderly individuals and families identify trained caregivers and support personnel more efficiently, improving access to professional elder care services.

The dashboard has also been designed with simplified functionalities and an easy-to-use interface to ensure smooth service delivery and wider accessibility.

Experts believe the initiative can play a critical role in building a structured caregiving ecosystem in India, where trained elder care professionals remain limited compared to the rapidly growing elderly population.

India’s Ageing Population and Growing Need for Elder Care Systems

India is witnessing a steady rise in its elderly population due to improvements in healthcare, nutrition and life expectancy. According to demographic projections, the number of senior citizens in India is expected to increase significantly over the coming decades, creating greater demand for healthcare, caregiving support, social protection and age-friendly infrastructure.

With changing lifestyles and migration patterns, many elderly individuals today face challenges such as loneliness, healthcare accessibility issues, lack of caregiving support and financial insecurity.

The Government’s latest initiatives aim to address these emerging concerns by combining technology, welfare services and caregiving networks into integrated support systems for elderly citizens.

Focus on Building a “Care Economy”

The launch of JEEVAN and SHATAYU during the National Workshop on “Creating a Well-Functioning Care Economy” reflects the Government’s broader vision of developing a structured care economy in India.

A care economy includes services and systems related to healthcare, caregiving, social support, rehabilitation and assisted living for vulnerable groups such as senior citizens, persons with disabilities and chronically ill individuals.

Experts at the workshop emphasized that strengthening the care economy can generate employment opportunities, improve social welfare systems and create more inclusive communities while addressing the needs of an ageing population.

The Government is increasingly exploring how digital technologies, community participation and professional caregiving services can work together to create sustainable elder care systems.

Technology Emerging as Key Tool for Elderly Welfare

The launch of these digital platforms demonstrates the growing role of technology in public welfare delivery and social inclusion.

By using mobile applications, digital dashboards and accessible interfaces, the Government aims to make welfare services more transparent, efficient and accessible for elderly citizens across urban as well as rural areas.

Technology-driven platforms can also help improve coordination between caregivers, healthcare providers, welfare agencies and senior citizens, leading to better service delivery and faster assistance.

Officials noted that such initiatives are particularly important in ensuring that senior citizens remain connected to welfare systems in an increasingly digital society.

Towards a More Inclusive and Dignified Elder Care Ecosystem

The JEEVAN and SHATAYU initiatives mark an important step toward creating a more compassionate, responsive and technology-enabled support system for India’s elderly population.

The Government believes these platforms will not only improve access to welfare services and caregiving support but also help promote dignity, independence and social participation among senior citizens.

As India moves toward becoming one of the world’s largest ageing societies, strengthening digital elder care systems, caregiving infrastructure and welfare accessibility is expected to become a major policy priority in the coming years.