Lok Sabha Question No. 2352 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-08-06
Subject: Persons with Disabilities
Ministry: SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT
Asked by: Shri Chavda Vinod Lakhamshi, Shri Gopal Jee Thakur, Smt. Kamaljeet Sehrawat, Shri Tejasvi Surya

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT DEPARTMENT OF EMPOWERMENT OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 2352

TO BE ANSWERED ON: 06.08.2024

## PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES

2352 Smt. Kamaljeet Sehrawat:

Shri Tejasvi Surya:

Shri Chavda Vinod Lakhamshi:

Shri Gopal Jee Thakur:

Will the Minister of SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT सामािजक Æयाय और अिधकाåरता मंýी be pleased to state:

(a) the measures taken by the Government to empower persons with disabilities;

(b) whether the Government has taken any steps to impart skill development training in order to make divyang people self-reliant;

(c) the details of the initiatives taken by the Government for the upliftment of divyangjan and achievement thereof; and

(d)  the  number  of  schemes  covering  them  alongwith  the  total  amount  of  financial  assistance sanctioned, earmarked and utilised for the same?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT

(Shri B .L. Verma)

(a) & (c) The Government enacted Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act, 2016 which came into force on 19.04.2017. The no. of disabilities has been increased from 7 to 21. The said Act provides rights and entitlements to PwDs, which, inter-alia, include right to equality, nondiscrimination, protection from cruelty, exploitation, right to live with family and community, access  to  justice,  accessibility  in  voting,  legal  capacity,  legal  guardianship,  health,  education, employment,  skill  development,  arts,  sports,  recreation,  culture  and  participation  in  decision making process.

Section 34 of the said Act provides for 4 % reservation in the government employment to the  persons  with  benchmark  (40%  or  above)  disabilities.  Further,  Section  32  of  the  said  Act provides 5% reservation in government or government aided higher educational institutions for persons  with  benchmark  disabilities.  Furthermore,  Section  37  of  the  said  Act  ensures  5%

reservation  in  poverty  alleviation  and  developmental  schemes  to  persons  with  bench  mark disabilities.

Though, relief to the disabled is a State subject by virtue of entry 9 of the State List of the Constitution of India, the Central Government supplements the efforts of the State Governments through its major schemes namely Assistance to Disabled Persons for Purchase/Fitting of Aids and Appliances (ADIP), Scheme for Implementation of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 (SIPDA) and Deendayal Divyangjan Rehabilitation Scheme (DDRS) and Scholarship Schemes.

(b) Section 19(2) of the RPwD Act, 2016 provides for inclusion of person with disability in all  mainstream  formal  and  non-formal  vocational  and  skill  training  schemes  and  programme. Department is implementing National Action plan for Skill Development of persons with skill Disabilities (NAP-SDP) to enhance skills of persons with disabilities in order to enable them to have  gainful  employment  and  become  self-reliant  and  productive  members  of  society.  This Scheme  was  launched  in  March,  2015.  Under  this  scheme,  skill  training  is  provided  to  the persons with disability through the Government and Non-Government Organizations, across the country.

Further,  the  Department  launched  PM-DAKSH-DEPwD  Portal  on  September  2023  for effective implementation of NAP-SDP. This portal is a one-stop digital destination for PwDs, who  need  skilling  and  employment,  and for Training organizations and Employers/job aggregators of PwDs. Under this portal, there are two modules:-

- i. Divyangjan Kaushal Vikas: Skill training is conducted for PwDs through the portal across the country.
- ii. (ii) Divyangjan Rozgar Setu: The platform is a bridge between PwDs and employers having jobs for PwDs. The platform provides geo- tagged based information on employment/earning opportunities within private companies as well as PwDs across India.

Furthermore,  Department  also  signed  MoU  with  various  companies/Job-aggregators  like Amazon. Youth4Jobs. Atypical Advantage Volvo. Neomotion to create and enhance employment opportunities for PwDs. During the last 3 years, 14,263 PwDs were benefited under the scheme.

(d)      Though, relief to the disabled is a State subject by virtue of entry 9 of the State  List of the  Constitution  of  India,  the  Central  Government  supplements  the  efforts  of  the  State Governments through its following major schemes:-

(i) Assistance  to  Disabled  Persons  for  Purchase/Fitting  of  Aids  and  Appliance  (ADIP): Under ADIP Scheme,  funds are released to various Implementing Agencies to assist the eligible persons  with  disabilities  (Divyangjan) 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 enhancing their economic potential  throughout  the  country.  During  the  last  three  years,  880238  PwDs  were  benefitted under this Scheme.

- (ii) Scheme for  Implementation  of  the  Rights  of  Persons  with  Disabilities  Act  (SIPDA): Under this Scheme, assistance is provided to State Governments and autonomous organizations/Institutions under Central or State Government/various implementing agencies for various activities relating to the implementation of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016.   Major  Components  of  Scheme  for  Implementation  of  Persons  with  Disabilities  Act (SIPDA) are:-
- (a) Creation of Barrier Free Environment for PwDs
- (b) National Action Plan for Skill Development
- (c) Accessible India Campaign (AIC)
- (d) Unique Disability Identity Card
- (iii) Deendayal Divyangjan Rehabilitation Scheme (DDRS):Under the Scheme grant-in-aid is  provided  to  Non-Governmental  Organization  (NGOs)  for  running  the   projects  relating  to rehabilitation  of  persons  with  disabilities,  aimed  at  enabling  them  to  reach  and  maintain  their optimal  physical,  sensory,  intellectual,  psychiatric  or  social  functional  levels.  During  the  last three years, 96,111 PwDs were benefitted under the Scheme.
- (iv) Scholarship Schemes for Students with disabilities: Under this Scheme, the Government provides scholarships for students with disabilities such as Prematric (for classes IX & X), Postmatric  (from  class  XI  up  to  Post  Graduate  degree/diploma  level),  Top  Class  Education  (Post graduate degree/diploma in notified Institutes), National Fellowship (M.Phil and PhD courses), National Overseas Scholarship (for Overseas education at P.G./Doctorate level). During the last three years, 1,12,345 PwDs were benefitted under the Scheme.

Further, the details of funds  released under various schemes of the Department during the last three financial years is as under:-

(Amount in Rs. Crore)

| Year        | Financial Year 2021- 22   | Financial Year 2022-23   | Financial Year 2023-24   |
|-------------|---------------------------|--------------------------|--------------------------|
| Scheme      | Actual Expenditure (AE)   | Actual Expenditure (AE)  | Actual Expenditure (AE)  |
| ADIP        | 198.69                    | 242.29                   | 290.60                   |
| SIPDA       | 108.44                    | 65.66                    | 76.79                    |
| DDRS        | 100.89                    | 114.69                   | 129.97                   |
| Scholarship | 120.25                    | 145.00                   | 130.46                   |

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