Lok Sabha Question No. 266 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-07-20
Subject: Scholarship Schemes for Physically Challenged Students
Ministry: SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT
Asked by: Ramcharan Bohra

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF SOCIAL JUSTICE AND) EMPOWERMENT DEPARTMENT OF EMPOWERMENT OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 266 TO BE ANSWERED ON 20.07.2021

## SCHOLARSHIP SCHEMES FOR PHYSICALLY CHALLENGED STUDENTS

## 266. SHRI RAMCHARAN BOHRA:

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

(a) the number of physieally challenged students in the country and the number of students covered under various scholarship schemes being run by the Government; State-wise; such

(b) whether the Government is satisfied with the coverage of physically challenged students under the above said schemes;

(c) if not, the remedial steps taken by the Government t0 provide scholarships to all physieally challenged students in the country; and the other steps taken by the Government for overall development of   physically challenged citizens and t0 provide assistance to them in the country?

## ANSWER

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

(a) The Ministry does not compile information relating to Students with Disabilities. However, as per Census 2011, there are 2.68 crores Persons with Disabilities in the country.

Under the   Scholarship Schemes for Students with Disabilities. students with benchmark disability (disability of 40% Or more) are eligible for scholarship. State-wise number of' Students with Disabilities covered during the last seven years is at Annexure:

(b) and (c) The number of Students with Disabilities getting scholarship has increased from 306 during 2014-15 to 42972 during 2019-20. With a view to ensure better coverage of these schemes the Ministry has undertaken the following measures: -

- Until 2017-18 these six  scholarship schemes: Pre-matric, Post-matric, Class Education. National Fellowship. National Overseas and Free Coaching were implemented as viz. Top

stand-alone schemes schemes have been separate From Ist April, 2018, all the six scholarship Disabilities' . merged into an Umbrella Scheme titled 'Scholarship for Studentsrsith In the umbrella scheme. if there is surplus fund available in can be utilized in the other one segment that segment. having budgets:

- The Department issues advertisements in awareness of these schemes Newspapers across the country to inerease media are also tapped for spreading awareness. leading
- (iii) Under the revised scheme implemented with effect from Post   Matric   Scholarship has 01.4.2018, the amount of Pre & scholarship has increased. Further; the number of'slots in Pre Matric increased   from to  25,000 and in case of Class   Education Scholarship scheme from 160 to 300. 20.C Top
- (iv) Under National  Overseas  Scholarship  the year. applications can be submitted  throughout the

(d) The other steps taken by the Government for overall citizens:development of physically challenged

1\_ The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act; 2016, The Act has inereased reservation increased the number of disabilities from Government aided in Government jobs from 3% to 4% and in Government and higher educational institutions from 3% to 5%.

2 The Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities has nine provide rehabilitation services, contribute to National Institutes which rehabilitation. Besides, there 21 rehabilitation services are Composite Regional   Centres which  provide   comprehensive to persons with disabilities.

Centre for Disability Sports set up at Gwalior with the with disabilities the main objective of providing persons facilities at par  with the latest in the world SO as to enable them effectively compete and win   medals in to international events for Paralympics   Deaflympics   Special  Olympics and other sports persons with disabilities being training

4. The Government is also implementing various schemes for the welfare (PwDs) Details of some of the major of Persons with Disabilities schemes are aS under:

assistance is provided to Non-Government financial Centres (DDRCs) for the Organizations (NGOs) and District Disability Rehabilitation welfare of Persons with Disabilities PwDs)

(ii) Assistance to Disabled Persons for Purchase/Fitting of Aids and Under this Scheme, funds are released to various Appliances (ADIP) Scheme: with disabilities Implementing Agencies to assist the eligible persons (Divyangian) in procuring durable, sophisticated and scientifically  manufactured, modern, standard aids that can promote their rehabilitation by reducing the effects of disabilities physical, social and psychological and enhancing their economic potential.

(ii) Scheme for the Implementation of Right of Under the umbrella Scheme, financial with Disabilities Act, 2016 (SIPDA): in the Rights of assistance is provided for undertaking various activities outlined 'Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act 2016. The major as follows: components of the Scheme are Persons

## (D) Accessible India Campaign (AIC):

The Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act; 2016 mandates 46 of the Act  With a view to creating accessibility under Section 40 to PwDs, barrier free environment for independent and safe of [Goeerament launched the Accessible India Campaign (AIC) on epeDeeembed; implemented under 3 pillars of built 2015. AIC is Communieation up environment; transportation system and Information and Technology (ICT) living being

(I) National Action Plan for Skill Government   launched Development of Persons with Disabilities   (PwDs):The the National Action   Plan (NAP) for Skill Disabilities (PwDs) in March; 2015 for Development of' Persons with of PwDs through a network of empaneled partners  (ETPs)  comprising  Government   organizations (National Development Finance Corporation/Composite Regional Institutes/National   Handicapped Non-Governmental Centres/Other Government Organizations) ) and Organizations (NGOs) skilling training

III) Creation of barrier frce environment for Persons with are provided to the States/UTs for Disabilities: Under this scheme funds creation Of barrier free environment by mainly providing accessible toilets, tactile flooring and accessible websites. ramps lifts.

(IV) Unique Disability Identifieation (UDID) Project: Under this projeet; the Government is creating a national data base for and identification cards to them: Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) issuing unique

## Annexure

Annexure referred tO in reply to part (a) of Lok Sabha Unstarred on 20.07.2021 Question. No. 266 for answer Shri Ramcharan Bohra. by

State-wise number of SwDs benefitted the last seven ycars and current year during

|    | State/UT             |    |      |       |       |       |      | 2019-20 [2020-21   | 2021-22 06.2021)   |
|----|----------------------|----|------|-------|-------|-------|------|--------------------|--------------------|
|    | ANDAMAN AND NICOBAR  | 0  |      |       |       |       |      |                    |                    |
| 2  | ANDHRA PRADESH       | 74 | 144  |       | 233   |       | 628  | 201                |                    |
|    | ARUNACHAL PRADESH    | 0  |      | 21    | 2     | 217 8 | 0    | 0                  | 73 0               |
| 4  | ASSAM                | 3  | 30   | 15    | 8     | 150   | 1089 | 19                 |                    |
| 5  | BIHAR                | 16 | 42   | 430   | 410   | 1248  | 1771 |                    |                    |
| 6  | CHANDIGARH           | 0  | 25   | 3     |       |       |      | 903                | 1034               |
| 7  | CHHATTISGARH         | 3  | 9    | 120   |       |       | 17   | 2                  | 29                 |
| 8  | DADRA & NAGAR HAVELI | 0  |      |       | 275   | 417   | 344  |                    | 128                |
| 9  | DAMAN & DIU          | 0  | 0    |       | 2     |       | 8    |                    | 7                  |
| 10 | DELHI                | 5  | 144  |       |       | 338   | 0    |                    | 0                  |
| 11 | GOA                  | 0  | 0    | 25    | 395 3 |       | 476  |                    | 22                 |
| 12 | GUJARAT              | 7  | 56   | 132   | 674   |       |      | 6                  | 0                  |
| 13 | HARYANA              | 12 |      |       |       | 310   | 250  | 1379               | 10                 |
| 14 | HIMACHAL PRADESH     |    | 56   | 76    | 143   | 252   | 239  |                    | 127                |
| 15 | JAMMU AND KASHMIR    | 2  | 39   | 106   | 144   | 94    | 142  | 79                 | 89                 |
| 16 |                      | 2  | 5    | 155   | 400   | 229   | 206  | 545                | 215                |
| 17 | JHARKHAND KARNATAKA  | 8  | 8    | 17    | 53    | 665   | 286  | 99                 | 99                 |
| 18 | KERALA               | 14 | 107  | 2564  | 1009  | 1686  |      | 1239               | 2125               |
| 19 |                      | 3  | 1207 | 829   | 2415  | 2873  | 0    | 0                  | 2090               |
| 20 | Ladakh               | 0  |      |       |       |       | 3669 | 4192               | 0                  |
| 21 | LAKSHADWEEP          | 0  | 0    |       |       |       |      |                    |                    |
|    | MADHYA PRADESH       | 6  | 309  | 6574  | 6422  | 5090  | 5429 | 4003               |                    |
| 22 | MAHARASHTRA          | 18 | 83   | 326   | 93    | 863   | 1082 |                    | 300 1              |
| 23 | MANIPUR              | 2  | 29   | 3     | 30    | 0     |      | 459                | 487                |
| 24 | MEGHALAYA            | 0  | 3    |       |       |       | 12   |                    | 0                  |
| 25 | MIZORAM              | 0  |      | 60 33 | 27    |       | 0    | 0                  |                    |
| 26 | NAGALAND             |    | 0    |       | 35    | 2     | 26   | 5                  |                    |
| 27 | ODISHA               | 16 |      | 15    | 5     | 0     | 0    | 45                 |                    |
| 28 |                      |    |      | 629   | 2307  | 2076  | 3341 | 1495               | 755                |
|    | PUDUCHERRY           | 3  | 7    | 5     | 22    | 33    | 79   | 27                 | 62                 |

| 29          | PUNJAB        | 2        | 54   | 72    | 106   | 531   | 444   | 1019   | 190   |
|-------------|---------------|----------|------|-------|-------|-------|-------|--------|-------|
| 30          | RAJASTHAN     | 4        | 77   | 125   | 725   | 1222  | 1567  | 76     | 1078  |
| 31          | SIKKIM        | 0        | 12   | 55    | 13    | 3     |       |        |       |
| 32          | TAMIL NADU    | 3 | | 51   | 189   | 1260  | 1506  |       | 3      |       |
| 33          | TELANGANA     | 0        | 27   | 108   | 135   | 138   |       | 2000   | 553   |
| 34          | TRIPURA       |          | 2    | 262   | 192   |       | 328   | 95     | 78    |
| 35          | UTTARAKHAND   | 0        | 42   |       |       | 8 [   | 159   | 66     | 127   |
| 36          | UTTAR PRADESH |          |      | 3     |       | 37    | 391   | 142    | 62    |
| 37          |               | 58       | 1898 | 703   | 2756  | 5565  | 18205 | 7178   | 774   |
| WEST BENGAL | WEST BENGAL   | 16       | 96   | 760   | 892   | 4722  | 485   | 660    | 44    |
| TOTAL       | TOTAL         | 306      | 6474 | 14841 | 21206 | 30369 | 42972 | 26072  | 13572 |