Lok Sabha Question No. 1462 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-09-20
Subject: Skill Development Centres for Differently AbledPersons
Ministry: SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT
Asked by: Aparajita Sarangi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA DEPARTMENT OF EMPOWERMENT OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES MINISTRY OF SOCIAL JUSTICE & EMPOWERMENT LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1462 TO BE ANSWERED ON 20.09.2020

## Skill Development Centres for Differently Abled Persons

## 1462. SHRIMATI APARAJITA SARANGI:

## Will the Minister of SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government plans to establish any skill development centres or institutes for rehabilitation and empowerment of differently abled persons;
- (b) if So, the details thereof to Odisha along with the funds allocated for the same; specific
- (c) the details of disabilities for which there already exist Government Schemes for empowerment and employment;
- (d) the details ofthe schenies in place to enhance employability of persons with disabilities;
- (e) whether the Government has any t0 undertake any project aimed at distributing wheelchairs; hearing aids and other such equipment to differently abled persons; who lack access to the same; and plan
- (f) if so, the details thereof?

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT

(SHRI KRISHANPAL GURJAR)

- (a) and (b): No Sir: There is no plan t0 establish any\_skill development centre by the Departmenti of ofPersons with Disabilities (DEPwD) The Department implements a National Action under  which training is provided to PwDs through various Govt. and Non-Govt: organizations empanelled with the Department as Training Partners (ETPs) from various states. Training is also provided through National   Handicapped Finance and Development   Corporation; a CPSE of the Department   and National  Institutes/Composite  Regional Centres of the Department:

The Department presently has following two Institutes functional in the state of Odisha:

- 1 Swami Vivekanand National Institute of the Rehabilitation Training and Research (SVNIRTAR) Cuttack and
- 2 Composite Regional Centre for Skill Development, Rehabilitation and Employment of persons with disabilities, Balangir.

In addition, there is a Vocational Rehabilitation Centre (VRC) for Handicapped at Bhubaneswar; Odisha under administrative control of Ministry of Labour and Employment

- (c) and (d): The Department implements following schemes for empowerment and employment of persons with disabilities:
- Central Sector Scheme which was launched in March; 2015 and implemented across the country: The skill training of PwDs under this scheme is conducted via a network of empanelled training partners (ETPs) comprising Government organizations (National  Institutes/National  Handicapped Finance and Corporation/Composite Regional Centre/Other Government Orgs) and Non-Govt: Development Organizations (NGOs) The main objective of the scheme is to make the PwDs employable:

## ANSWER

This is an employment  linked scheme and ETPs are  mandated to conduct job outreach activities to enhance the employability. The scheme also incentivizes ETPs for facilitating placement of the trained candidates.  The reimbursement of last 20% of payout to ETPs is linked with the placement (wage employment Or self-employment) of the candidate. Moreover, there is provision of incentive for Training  Partners for  placement above   prescribed norms of 70%. Tthere are certain incentives to encourage  participation of PwDs in the skill   training also i.e. post   placement support, monthly conveyance allowance, boarding and lodging etc. training

Under the scheme of "Incentive to Private Employers to Employ Persons with Disabilities" there is a provision that the employers contribution (including administrative charge) for the first ten years 0f service of  disabled employees towards   Employees Provident Fund   (EPF) and Employees State Insurance   (ESI) can be borne by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities.  In addition; one-third of the gratuity amount due and admissible to the disabled employees can also be borne by the Department:

iii. Scholarships\_for\_Students with\_Disabilities: The   Department is implementing Umbrella Scheme 'Scholarships for Students with Disabilities' which comprises six components viz Pre-matric Scholarship for Class IX & X), Post-matric Scholarship for Class XI to Post-graduate Degree/Diploma), Class Education  Scholarship (for Graduate and   Post-graduate Degreee/Diploma in notified institutes of excellence in education) , National   Overseas Scholarship (for master $ Degreee/Ph D. in Universities abroad); National Fellowship for PwDs (For MPhil and Ph.D in Indian Universities) and Free Coaching for Students with Disabilities to appear for competitive examinations conducted by Union/State Public Service Commissions for Government jobs and admission to technical and professional courses). Top

All the above schemes (points i) to iii)) are applicable to all the categories of benchmark Disability (40% and above) as included in the Schedule of the RPwD Act; 2016.

Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana   (PMKVY) is a flagship   scheme Development and Entrepreneurship implemented with an objective to   provide   skilling to prospective youth including persons with disability (PwD) under Short Term Training (STT) courses and Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) across the country: being

Further , there is an exclusive Sector Skill Council for PwD namely Skill Council for PwD (SCPwD) for catering the needs of the PwD candidates and run in PwD-friendly training centres. Such centres are structurally designed to enable PwD candidates to experience a beneficial training: For enhancement of employability SCPwD has: training a) Signed MoU with 256 Industry partners.

b) Job fairs are organized periodically to employers, candidates and training partners bring c) Skill Grid portal has been created to make interface between employers, candidates and Training partners

Under PMKVY and SCPwD related works, candidates of all disabilities are trainedlallowed.

(e) and (f) Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities   implements the Scheme of Assistance to Disabled Persons for Purchase/Fitting of Aids/ Appliances (ADIP) under which grants-inaid are provided to the various Implementing Agencies Artificial Limbs Manufacturing Corporation (ALIMCOY National Institutes/Composite Regional Centres/District Disability Rehabilitation Centres/Indian Red Cross Societies/ Non Government Organizations for distribution of aids and assistive devices including wheel chairs, hearing aids and other such aids and assistive devices to eligible with disabilities. persons viz ,

Under National Action Plan of DEPWD for skill development of persons with disabilities and PMKVY Scheme also PwD candidates are provided Rs. 5,000/- towards Personal Assistive Aid,

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