Lok Sabha Question No. 3190 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-03-22
Subject: Rehabiltation of Visually Impaired
Ministry: SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT
Asked by: Girish Chandra

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT

## DEPARTMENT OF EMPOWERMENT OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES

## LOK SABHA

## ANSWER

UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 3190 TO BE ANSWERED ON: 22.03.2022

## REHABILTATION OF VISUALLY IMPAIRED

## 3190:   SHRI GIRISH CHANDRA:

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

- (a) the  number  of  Persons  with  Disabilities  (PwDs)  and  visually  impaired  persons  in  the  country, especially in the State of Uttar Pradesh;
- (b) whether Government has taken or proposes to take any steps for their rehabilitation and providing financial assistance; and
- (c) if so, the details thereof?

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

(a) As per Census 2011, there are 2.68 crore Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) in the country out of which 50.33 lakhs are Persons with visual impairment.  State-wise details are at Annexure.

- (b) and (c) Relief to the disabled is a State subject by virtue of entry 9 of the State List of constitution of India. However, the Central Government supplements the efforts of the States Government.

The Central Government has 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  and  mandates  the  appropriate  Government  to  take  measures  to  promote  education,  skill development, social security, health, rehabilitation and recreation for PwDs so that they can enjoy their rights equally with others. The Act provides for reservation in seats in Government/ Government aided higher educational institutions and reservation in Government jobs as  well as in allotment of land for housing,  setting  up  of  business  etc.  for  persons  with  benchmark  disabilities  including  persons  with intellectual disabilities.

Further, in order to implement the provision of reservation in Government employment envisaged under the  RPwD  Act,  2016,  the  Ministry  notified  the  list  of  3566  posts  suitable  for  various  categories  of persons with benchmark disabilities on 04.01.2021.

The Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities implements following Schemes for the welfare of Persons with Disabilities (PwDs):

- (i) Deendayal Disabled Rehabilitation Scheme (DDRS),
- (iii) Scheme for Implementation of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 (SIPDA),
- (ii) Assistance to Disabled Persons for Purchase/Fitting of Aids/Appliances Scheme (ADIP),
- (iv) Scholarships for Students with Disabilities,

In  addition,  National  Trust,  a  statutory  body  under  the  Department  of  Empowerment  of  Persons  with Disabilities  (DEPwD),  was  set  up  in  2000  under  the  National  Trust  for  the  welfare  of  persons  with autism, cerebral palsy, mental retardation and multiple disabilities Act, 1999. National Trust runs various schemes  and  programmes  ranging  from  early  intervention  for  children  upto  10  years  to  residential centres for adults with severe disabilities.

## ANNEXURE

| Category and State-wise number of persons with disabilities (PwDs) as per Census 2011   | Category and State-wise number of persons with disabilities (PwDs) as per Census 2011   | Category and State-wise number of persons with disabilities (PwDs) as per Census 2011   | Category and State-wise number of persons with disabilities (PwDs) as per Census 2011   |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| S.No.                                                                                   | State/UT Name                                                                           | Total number of PwDs                                                                    | Persons with visual impairment                                                          |
| 1                                                                                       | Jammu &Kashmir                                                                          | 361153                                                                                  | 66448                                                                                   |
| 2                                                                                       | Himachal Pradesh                                                                        | 155316                                                                                  | 26076                                                                                   |
| 3                                                                                       | Punjab                                                                                  | 654063                                                                                  | 82199                                                                                   |
| 4                                                                                       | Chandigarh                                                                              | 14796                                                                                   | 1774                                                                                    |
| 5                                                                                       | Uttarakhand                                                                             | 185272                                                                                  | 29107                                                                                   |
| 6                                                                                       | Haryana                                                                                 | 546374                                                                                  | 82702                                                                                   |
| 7                                                                                       | NCT of Delhi                                                                            | 234882                                                                                  | 30124                                                                                   |
| 8                                                                                       | Rajasthan                                                                               | 1563694                                                                                 | 314618                                                                                  |
| 9                                                                                       | Uttar Pradesh                                                                           | 4157514                                                                                 | 763988                                                                                  |
| 10                                                                                      | Bihar                                                                                   | 2331009                                                                                 | 549080                                                                                  |
| 11                                                                                      | Sikkim                                                                                  | 18187                                                                                   | 2772                                                                                    |
| 12                                                                                      | Arunachal Pradesh                                                                       | 26734                                                                                   | 5652                                                                                    |
| 13                                                                                      | Nagaland                                                                                | 29631                                                                                   | 4150                                                                                    |
| 14                                                                                      | Manipur                                                                                 | 58547                                                                                   | 19194                                                                                   |
| 15                                                                                      | Mizoram                                                                                 | 15160                                                                                   | 2035                                                                                    |
| 16                                                                                      | Tripura                                                                                 | 64346                                                                                   | 10828                                                                                   |
| 17                                                                                      | Meghalaya                                                                               | 44317                                                                                   | 6980                                                                                    |
| 18                                                                                      | Assam                                                                                   | 480065                                                                                  | 80553                                                                                   |
| 19                                                                                      | West Bengal                                                                             | 2017406                                                                                 | 424473                                                                                  |
| 20                                                                                      | Jharkhand                                                                               | 769980                                                                                  | 180721                                                                                  |
| 21                                                                                      | Odisha                                                                                  | 1244402                                                                                 | 263799                                                                                  |
| 22                                                                                      | Chhattisgarh                                                                            | 624937                                                                                  | 111169                                                                                  |
| 23                                                                                      | Madhya Pradesh                                                                          | 1551931                                                                                 | 270751                                                                                  |
| 24                                                                                      | Gujarat                                                                                 | 1092302                                                                                 | 214150                                                                                  |
| 25                                                                                      | Daman& Diu                                                                              | 2196                                                                                    | 382                                                                                     |
| 26                                                                                      | Dadra& Nagar Haveli                                                                     | 3294                                                                                    | 429                                                                                     |
| 27                                                                                      | Maharashtra                                                                             | 2963392                                                                                 | 574052                                                                                  |
| 28                                                                                      | Andhra Pradesh (Undivided)                                                              | 2266607                                                                                 | 398144                                                                                  |
| 29                                                                                      | Karnataka                                                                               | 1324205                                                                                 | 264170                                                                                  |
| 30                                                                                      | Goa                                                                                     | 33012                                                                                   | 4964                                                                                    |
| 31                                                                                      | Lakshadweep                                                                             | 1615                                                                                    | 337                                                                                     |
| 32                                                                                      | Kerala                                                                                  | 761843                                                                                  | 115513                                                                                  |
| 33                                                                                      | Tamil Nadu                                                                              | 1179963                                                                                 | 127405                                                                                  |
| 34                                                                                      | Puducherry                                                                              | 30189                                                                                   | 3608                                                                                    |
| 35                                                                                      | Andaman& NicobarIslands                                                                 | 6660                                                                                    | 1084                                                                                    |
|                                                                                         | Total                                                                                   | 26814994                                                                                | 5033431                                                                                 |

## Annexure referred to in reply to part (a) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 3190 to be answered on 22.03.2022 regarding Rehabiltation of Visually Impaired raised by Shri Girish Chandra:

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