New Delhi: The ‘Savera Yojana’, an initiative launched by the Uttar Pradesh Police to provide immediate assistance to senior citizens, has once again become a topic of discussion in Noida.
“In case of an emergency, the elderly don’t need to call different helpline numbers. If they are registered under the ‘Savera Yojna’, help will reach them within minutes,” said Ajay Kumar Mishra, IG Prayagraj, who was part of the initiative at its inception back in 2017.
Under the scheme, police maintain a record of the senior citizens registered with them, and officers are sent to check on their homes regularly to ensure their safety.
The goal is to offer easy access and swift police support in cases of medical emergencies, fire, or any other security-related issues. For faster response, it’s integrated with the state’s emergency helpline number 112—a single point of contact for all types of emergencies.
“If senior citizens are registered with us—providing their contact and address details—help will reach them almost instantly,” said Yamuna Prasad, DCP of Noida.
But when ThePrint attempted to contact the emergency helpline, the call was disconnected multiple times without any response.
According to a Noida police official who does not want to be named, the centralised number is operated from Lucknow headquarters and the Noida police has no control over the issue.
“The reason behind the helpline number not working could be a server issue or the site being down, which cannot be resolved at the local level by Noida police,” the official said.
Many senior citizens hadn’t even heard of the Savera scheme.
At Lotus Boulevard, a massive housing complex in Noida’s Sector 100, residents—both seniors and their parents—were keen to know more.
“People were unaware of this scheme and had not registered for it,” said Narendra Sharma, president of the Lotus Boulevard Society. “Now, we have started working to spread awareness about it among all residents.”
Also read: India’s seniors are facing abuse in families. Children are no longer Shravan Kumar
Revisiting Savera
As part of this re-launch, the Noida police are encouraging form-based registrations through Resident Welfare Associations (RWA) to ensure that more elderly individuals can benefit from timely assistance.
“The initiative is being revived due to the rising number of elderly citizens who are now living independently or alone, especially after their children move to different cities or countries,” said DCP Yumna Prasad. “Often, they are left without immediate family support.”
To simplify the registration process, the Uttar Pradesh police have provided all residential societies with a helpline number as well as an online link. Elderly individuals who are unable to complete the registration themselves can seek assistance from their respective society associations.
They can also call the 112 helpline directly and provide their details to get registered.
“There are several easy ways to register for the programme, so people shouldn’t avoid it thinking it’s a lengthy process. The more elderly individuals we get registered, the better we can serve and assist them,” Prasad said.
Societies have issued notices to inform residents about the objectives of the scheme and the registration procedure.
“These types of initiatives are not only necessary, but they should also reach everyone,” said 67-year-old Vaishnav Kumar, a resident of Lotus Boulevard. “However, it all depends on how accessible the helpline number is and how effectively it works when someone actually needs help.”
Dharamveer Verma, a 71-year-old resident who has been living in Noida for the past 28 years, welcomed the initiative. “What could be better than having the police assist us in times of need?” said Verma.
Verma was relieved at the idea of not having to run around for assistance in times of need.
“This will not only increase public trust in the police, but also reduce the elderly’s dependency on neighbours or family members for support,” he added.
(Edited by Prasanna Bachchhav)