Lok Sabha Question No. 1121 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-11-22
Subject: Differently Abled Children
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Jagdambika Pal

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1121

TO BE ANSWERED ON 22.11.2019

## DIFFERENTLY ABLED CHILDREN

## 1121.  SHRI JAGDAMBIKA PAL:

Will the Minister of WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) the  State-wise  and  gender-wise  data  of  the  total  number  of  differently  abled children (under 18) in the country;
- (b) whether the Government is taking steps to ensure welfare of such children;
- (c) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor; and
- (d) the proposed measures in this regard being contemplated by the Government?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## (SRIMATI SMRITI ZUBIN IRANI)

(a):  The  State-wise  and  gender-wise  data  of  the  total  number  of  differently  abled children in the age group of 0-19 as per Census 2011 and as provided by Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment is Annexed.

(b)  to  (d):  The  Government  has  enacted  the  Rights  of  Persons  with  Disabilities  Act, 2016  (RPwD  Act,  2011)  for  empowerment  of  Persons  with  Disabilities  (PwDs)  which came  into  force  on  27.12.2016.  The  Act  provides  various  rights  and  entitlements  for PwDs and mandates the appropriate Govt. to take specific steps to ensure that PwDs including Children with Disabilities (CwDs) enjoy their rights equally with others. The Act mandates protection of CwDs from exploitation, violence, abuse and also confers their rights to live with home and family. It provides for free education upto the age of 18 yrs for  CwDs  in  Special  School  or  a  neighborhood  school  of  his  choice.    Relief  to  the disabled  is  a  State  subject  by  virtue  of  entry  9  of  State  list  of  Constitution  of  India. However, the Central Govt. supplements the efforts of the State Govt. through various schemes & programmes for empowerment of PwDs. Some of the major schemes of Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment for empowerment/rehabilitation of PwDs, including CwDs, are as under:

## (i) Assistance to Disabled Persons for Purchase/Fitting of Aids and Appliances

(ADIP): the main objective of the scheme is to assist the poor persons with disabilities in  procuring  durable,  sophisticated  and  scientifically  manufactured,  modern,  standard aids and appliances that can promote  their physical, social and psychological rehabilitation  by  reducing  the  effects  of  disabilities  and  enhance  their  economic potential. Under the scheme there is a provision to provide cochlear implant to eligible children upto 5 years of age at a cost up to Rs.6.00 lakh per child.

(ii) Scholarship  schemes :  The  Ministry  provides  scholarship  for  students  with disabilities (under 18) such as Pre-matric (for class IX & X), Post-matric (from XI class up to post graduate degree/diploma level).

(iii) Deendayal Disabled Rehabilitation  Scheme  (DDRS) :  Under  DDRS, grant-inaid  is  provided  to  Non-Governmental  Organizations/  Voluntary  Organizations  for running  Special  Schools for  children  with  disabilities  (under  18)  to  provide  education, vocational training, rehabilitation etc enabling them to reach and maintain their optimal, physical, sensory, intellectual, psychiatric or social functional levels.

The Ministry of Women and Child Development is implementing a centrally sponsored scheme  i.e.  'Child  Protection  Services'  (CPS)  (erstwhile  Integrated  Child  Protection Scheme) for providing financial  assistance  to  State  Governments/UT  Administrations, with  the  primary  objective  of  care  and  protection  of  children  in  distress  conditions through institutional and non-institutional care. The primary responsibility of implementation  of  the  Scheme  lies  with  the  State/UTs.  As  per  Section  2  (14)  (iv)  of Juvenile  Justice  (Care  and  Protection  of  Children)  Act,  2015  (JJ  Act),  a  child  who  is mentally ill or mentally or physically challenged or suffering from terminal or incurable disease, having no one to support or look after or having parents or guardians unfit to take care, if found so by the Juvenile Justice Board or the Child Welfare Committee is also included as a 'child in need of care and protection' (CNCP). The scheme provides for purchase of specialised equipments and materials like Psychological test materials, training materials for speech and language, teaching materials wheel chairs, crutches, etc. Under the CPS scheme, the Ministry provides financial support for a special unit of 10 children for children with Special Needs @ Rs.10.48 lakhs (per annum).

***

## Annexure

## Annexure  referred  to  in  reply  to  part  (a)  of  Lok  Sabha  Unstarred  Question  No.1121  for answer on 22.11.2019 regarding 'Differently Abled Children'.

| State-wise   | of 0-9 years as            |           |              |           |
|--------------|----------------------------|-----------|--------------|-----------|
| S. No.       | State/UT                   | Total     | Numbers Male | Female    |
| 1            | ANDAMAN & NICOBAR ISLANDS  | 1544      | 830          | 714       |
| 2            | ANDHRA PRADESH (Undivided) | 551630    | 299677       | 251953    |
| 3            | ARUNACHAL PRADESH          | 8438      | 4397         | 4041      |
| 4            | ASSAM                      | 134479    | 73233        | 61246     |
| 5            | BIHAR                      | 933023    | 518033       | 414990    |
| 6            | CHANDIGARH                 | 4071      | 2400         | 1671      |
| 7            | CHHATTISGARH               | 152311    | 83752        | 68559     |
| 8            | DADRA & NAGAR HAVELI       | 1144      | 669          | 475       |
| 9            | DAMAN & DIU                | 502       | 310          | 192       |
| 10           | GOA                        | 6031      | 3253         | 2778      |
| 11           | GUJARAT                    | 313874    | 179014       | 134860    |
| 12           | HARYANA                    | 146942    | 86156        | 60786     |
| 13           | HIMACHAL PRADESH           | 31204     | 17715        | 13489     |
| 14           | JAMMU & KASHMIR            | 101428    | 56366        | 45062     |
| 15           | JHARKHAND                  | 258652    | 140811       | 117841    |
| 16           | KARNATAKA                  | 389383    | 212783       | 176600    |
| 17           | KERALA                     | 120457    | 68244        | 52213     |
| 18           | LAKSHADWEEP                | 382       | 199          | 183       |
| 19           | MADHYA PRADESH             | 463361    | 260537       | 202824    |
| 20           | MAHARASHTRA                | 826254    | 463018       | 363236    |
| 21           | MANIPUR                    | 17896     | 9374         | 8522      |
| 22           | MEGHALAYA                  | 17413     | 9286         | 8127      |
| 23           | MIZORAM                    | 3748      | 2072         | 1676      |
| 24           | NAGALAND                   | 7740      | 4204         | 3536      |
| 25           | NCT OF DELHI               | 60663     | 35541        | 25122     |
| 26           | ODISHA                     | 321349    | 176236       | 145113    |
| 27           | PUDUCHERRY                 | 5491      | 3115         | 2376      |
| 28           | PUNJAB                     | 173265    | 100299       | 72966     |
| 29           | RAJASTHAN                  | 362498    | 212359       | 150139    |
| 30           | SIKKIM                     | 3098      | 1646         | 1452      |
| 31           | TAMIL NADU                 | 278298    | 155458       | 122836    |
| 32           | TRIPURA                    | 16509     | 9105         | 7404      |
| 33           | UTTAR PRADESH              | 1551148   | 861333       | 689815    |
| 34           | UTTARAKHAND                | 51872     | 29279        | 22593     |
| 35           | WEST BENGAL                | 548542    | 302356       | 246186    |
|              | Total                      | 7,864,640 | 4,383,060    | 3,481,576 |