Lok Sabha Question No. 2574 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-08-02
Subject: Employing PwDs
Ministry: SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT
Asked by: Dibyendu Adhikari

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2574 TO BE ANSWERED ON 02.08.2022

## EMPLOYING PwDs

## 2574. SHRI DIBYENDU ADHIKARI:

Will the Minister of SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT सामािजक ᭠याय और अिधकाᳯरता मंᮢी be pleased to state:

(a) the reasons why out of the 1.3 crore of employable Persons with Disability (PwD) only 34 lakh are currently employed;

(b)  the  number  of  PwDs  that  the  Government  has  trained  and  the  number  of  such  trainees placed under various schemes since 2014 till date, year-wise; and

(c)  the  reasons  for  not  increasing  the  budget  for  the  National  Handicapped  Finance  and Development  Corporation  (NHFDC)  at  par  with  the  assistance requirement  of  PwDs employment therein?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT

## (SUSHRI PRATIMA BHOUMIK)

(a)  According  to  Census  2011,  there  are  2.68  crore  persons  with  disabilities  in  the  country which inter-alia include persons with visual, hearing, locomotor, and mental disabilities. As per this Census, 36% persons with disabilities were employed as workers.

(b)  The  Ministry  of  Skill  Development  and  Entrepreneurship  (MSDE)  is  implementing  a flagship  scheme  namely  'Pradhan  Mantri  Kaushal  Vikas  Yojna  (PMKVY)'  for  Skill  based training of the youth across the country including PwDs. Further, with the objective to provide skill training to persons with disabilities (PwDs) for enabling them to become self-reliant and productive  members  of  the  society,  the  Department  of  Empowerment  of  Persons  with Disabilities (DEPwD) launched "National Action Plan (NAP) for Skill Development of Persons with  Disabilities  (PwDs)"  in  March,  2015.  Prior  to  these  schemes,  broadly  the  National Handicapped Finance and Development Corporation (NHFDC) used to provide skill training under 'Scheme for Implementation of Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 (SIPDA)'. Number of  PwDs  trained  and  employed  under  the  above  schemes  of  MSDE,  DEPwD  since 2015-16 and the schemes implemented by NHFDC for the year 2014-15 to 2016-17 is as under:

| Year                 | PMKVY of MSDE       | PMKVY of MSDE        | NAP of DEPwD        | NAP of DEPwD         | Scheme of NHFDC                | Scheme of NHFDC                |
|----------------------|---------------------|----------------------|---------------------|----------------------|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
| Year                 | No. of PwDs trained | No. of PwDs employed | No. of PwDs trained | No. of PwDs employed | No. of PwDs trained            | No. of PwDs employed           |
| 2014-15              | -                   | -                    | -                   | -                    | 9356                           | 4605                           |
| 2015-16              | 305                 | 61                   | 0                   | 0                    | 16265                          | 10247                          |
| 2016-17              | 126                 | 2                    | 0                   | 0                    | 18455                          | 11208                          |
| 2017-18              | 2742                | 626                  | 15334               | 5495 17125           |                                |                                |
| 2018-19              | 14061               | 1815                 | 54001               |                      | Training programs conducted by | Training programs conducted by |
| 2019-20              | 22852               | 10474                | 2742                | 1867                 | NHFDC are part of NAP of       | NHFDC are part of NAP of       |
| 2020-21              | 8563                | 2428                 | 1156                | 357                  | DEPwD since 2017-18            | DEPwD since 2017-18            |
| 2021-22              | 246                 | 2416                 | 6669                | 361                  |                                |                                |
| 2022-23 (as on date) | 50                  | 2                    | 1314                | 0                    |                                |                                |
| Total                | 48945               | 17824                | 81216               | 25205                | 44076                          | 26060                          |

(c) National Handicapped Finance and Development Corporation (NHFDC) is a Central Public Sector Enterprise (CPSE) functioning under the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities. The Government has released Rs.399.99 Cr. to National Handicapped Finance and Development Corporation since its inception in 1997 as equity support.  The Corporation has catered to loan assistance required by Divyangjan for self-employment out of the said funds. The  Corporation  has  been  addressing  the  loan  assistance  needs  of  Divyangjan  by  ploughing back the funds available with it and did not seek support of Government since Financial Year 2020-21. ****