Lok Sabha Question No. 1345 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-12-03
Subject: Training to Divyangjan
Ministry: SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT
Asked by: Smt. Sanjna Jatav

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

## LOK SABHA

1345. Smt. Sanjna Jatav:

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

- (a) the measures taken by the Government to empower divyangjan persons;
- (b) whether the Government has taken any steps to impart training skill to divyangjan persons  particularly in Bharatpur Parliamentary Constituency;
- (c) if so, the details thereof including percentage of their employment; and
- (d) the  details  of  the  initiatives  taken  by  the  Government  for  the  upliftment  of divyangjan person  and the achievements made in this regard?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT

(SHRI B. L. VERMA)

(a) 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,  non-discrimination,  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.

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1345

TO BE ANSWERED ON 03.12.2024

## Training to Divyangjan

(b)  &  (c) 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 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. 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.

Since  the  launch  of  the  scheme,  Department  has  provided  the  skill  training  to around 1.5 lakh PwDs at a cost of Rs. 147.78 crore. Out of these PwDs, 28000 have been  placed  in  wage-employment/self-employment.  It  is  demand  driven  scheme  and funds are released to Empanelled Training Partner (ETP) based on their proposal.

No proposal from any ETP has also been received for conducting skill training of PwDs in Bharatpur Parliamentary Constituency. Hence, no skill development training for  PwDs  has  been  conducted  under  National  Action  Plan  for  Skill  Development  of Persons with Disabilities in Bharatpur Parliamentary Constituency.

Department has also signed 20 MoUs (non-financial) with various companies/Jobaggregators  to  create  and  enhance  the  employment  opportunities  for  persons  with disabilities.

(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): The Department is implementing the Scheme of 'Assistance to Persons with Disabilities  for  Purchase/Fitting  of  Aids  and  Appliances  (ADIP)'  under  which  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. Various types of aids and assistive  devices  distributed  to  different  types  of  disabilities  are  Motorized  Tricycle, Wheelchair, Prosthesis and orthosis,  Walking Stick, Accessible Smart  Phones, Smart Cane, Low Vision Aids, Hearing Aids, Teaching Learning Material (TLM) Kits etc.

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
- (e) Awareness Generation and Publicity Scheme

(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), Post-matric (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  in  Indian  Universities),  National  Overseas Scholarship (Masters Degree/ Ph.D in Foreign Universities ).

During the last three years, 1,15,667 PwDs were benefitted under the Scheme.

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