Lok Sabha Question No. 2665 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-08-02
Subject: Welfare of Divyang
Ministry: SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT
Asked by: Nusrat Jahan Ruhi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT

## LOK SABHA

## DEPARTMENT OF EMPOWERMENT OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2665

TO BE ANSWERED ON 02.08.2022

## WELFARE OF DIVYANG

## 2665. SHRIMATI NUSRAT JAHAN RUHI:

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

- (a)      whether  the  disability  sector  still  remains  one  of  the  most  marginalized  and  neglected groups in the country and if so, the details thereof;
- (b)      the  details  of  allocation  of  funds  under  the  Accessible  India  Campaign  for  the  Divyang groups and proposal to increase their pension;
- (c)      the  reasons  to  cut  down  allocation  for  central  projects  like  Scheme  for  Support  for Marginalized Individual  for  Livelihood  and  Enterprise  (SMILE),  Scheme  for  Economic Empowerment  of  De-Notified  Tribes  (SEED),  PM-DAKSH  (Pradhan  Mantri  Dakshta  Aur Kushalta Sampann Hitgrahi) and Rehabilitation of Manual Scavengers thereof; and
- (d)      the proposal of the Government to meet the needs of Divyang and free universal health care thereto?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT (SUSHRI PRATIMA BHOUMIK)

- (a)  The Government enacted the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act, 2016, which came into force on 19.04.2017. The Act provides various rights and entitlements for persons with disabilities  (PwDs)  which,  inter-alia,  include  equality,  non-discrimination,  protection  against exploitation  and  inhuman  treatment,  legal  capacity,  access  to  justice,  accessibility  in  voting, community life, protection during disaster situations. It also provides  mechanism for monitoring implementation of its provisions through State Commissioner for PwDs and Chief Commissioner for PwDs.
- (b)  Accessible  India  Campaign  (AIC)  is  a  component  under  the  Central  Sector  Scheme  for Implementation of Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act,  2016  (SIPDA).  Under AIC component, the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (Divyangjan) has so far released an amount of Rs.596 crore.

Ministry of Rural Development has informed that the Indira Gandhi National Disability Pension

Scheme (IGNDPS) is a component of National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP), a 100% centrally funded centrally sponsored scheme. Under IGNDPS, central assistance @Rs. 300/- per month per beneficiary is provided to persons aged 18-79 years with multiple or severe disability (disability level 80% or more) belonging to Below Poverty Line (BPL) families. The amount of central assistance is increased to Rs. 500/- per month in respect of these beneficiaries on reaching the age of 80 years. The States/UTs are encouraged to provide top-ups over and above the central assistance under the NSAP.

(c)  The  Ministry  launched  the  scheme  namely  Support  for  Marginalized  Individual  for Livelihood and Enterprise (SMILE) on 12.02.2022 which consists of two sub-schemes namely 'Central Sector Scheme for Comprehensive Rehabilitation for Welfare of Transgender Persons' and 'Central Sector Scheme for Comprehensive Rehabilitation of persons engaged in the act of Begging'. The Budget Estimate (BE) for Scheme for Economic Empowerment of De-Notified Tribes (SEED) for F.Y 2021-22 was Rs. 45 crore but the scheme was launched in February, 2022 resulting  into  no  expenditure  during  2021-22.  Therefore,  BE  for  the  SEED  for  2022-23  was reduced to Rs. 28.00 crore.

The  B.E.   and  actual  expenditure  for  PM-DAKSH  (Pradhan  Mantri  Dakshta  Aur  Kushalta Sampann Hitgrahi) and Scheme for Rehabilitation of Manual Scavengers (SRMS) for the year 2021-22 and BE for 2022-23 is as under:

| Scheme   |   B.E 2021-22 |   Actual release |   BE 2022-23 |
|----------|---------------|------------------|--------------|
| PM-DAKSH |           100 |            68.23 |           84 |
| SRMS     |           100 |            39    |           70 |

(Rs. in crore)

PM-DAKSH and Scheme for Rehabilitation of Manual Scavengers (SRMS) are demand driven and accordingly keeping in view the trend of expenditure in 2021-22, the allocation for 2022-23 has been rationalized.

(d)  The  Rights  of  Persons  with  Disabilities  (RPwD)  Act,  2016,  mandates  the  appropriate Government  and  local  authorities  to  take  necessary  measures  for  persons  with  disabilities (PwDs) to provide free health care in the vicinity especially in the rural areas for lower income group families. 'Public Health & Hospitals' being a State Subject, the primary responsibility of provision of health services to all including persons with disabilities is that of respective State Govt./UT Administration. However, Ministry of Health and  Family Welfare has launched the National  Rural  Health  Mission  (NRHM)  in  2005  to  supplement  the  efforts  of  the  State Governments/UT Administrations to provide accessible, affordable and quality healthcare to all especially to vulnerable people including persons with disabilities. Currently, NRHM is a submission  of  National  Health  Mission  (NHM).  The  support  under  NHM, inter-alia, includes provision  of  a  host  of  free  services  such  as  maternal  health,  child  health,  adolescent  health, family planning, universal immunisation programme and for major diseases such as Tuberculosis,  HIV/  AIDS,  vector  borne  diseases  such  as  Malaria,  Dengue  and  Kala  Azar, Leprosy etc.

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