3 days ago

India Plans Expanded Elderly Care as Population Expected to Double

India is going to have many more older people in the coming years.

Officials say the number of senior citizens could double by around 2050.

The government wants to improve healthcare, housing, caregiving and other services for them.

People aged 70 and above can receive free treatment through Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY, with coverage of up to Rs 5 lakh each year.

The government currently supports about 800 care homes.

It is also considering adding day-care homes for older people.

A new app called Jeevan is meant to bring information about senior services together.

Another tool, called the Shatayu dashboard, helps families find caregivers.

Experts say this is also a business opportunity, but India still needs many more assisted-living places and trained care workers.

Key facts

Projected elderly population: The senior population is expected to double by around 2050; estimates cited include 166 million today rising to 346 million.
Healthcare coverage: Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY offers free treatment to people aged 70 and above, with coverage of up to Rs 5 lakh per year.
Existing care homes: The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment operates around 800 senior-care homes.
Senior-living market: The market could become a USD 10.1 billion opportunity by 2030 under a policy-driven scenario.
Required investment: The report estimates that about USD 7.7 billion in capital investment would be needed to meet new senior-living supply.
Senior homes: The organised senior-living sector had 25,050 units as of June 2026, with penetration of 1.5 per cent.
Assisted-living gap: India has around 2,100 assisted-living beds against a projected need for 11,000 by 2030.

theprint.in · 3 days ago