Lok Sabha Question No. 249 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-07-22
Subject: Support to Children with Special Needs
Ministry: SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT
Asked by: Dr. Kirsan Namdeo

## 249. Dr. Kirsan Namdeo:

Will the Minister of SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT

be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government is providing holistic support to children with special needs in the country, if so, the details thereof;
- (b) the details of schemes and initiatives that have been taken by the Government in this regard during the last two years; and
- (c) the details of such projects and sponsorship particularly in Maharashtra?

## ANSWER

Minister of State for Social Justice & Empowerment

(SHRI B. L. VERMA)

(a) to (c) :

Yes; the Government of India is providing holistic support to children with special needs (CwSN)  through  legislative  frameworks,  schemes,  and  initiatives  under  the Rights  of Persons with Disabilities Act (RPwD), 2016, and programs implemented by the Department. The section 16 and 17 of the RPwD Act, 2016 mandates inclusive education to the children with disabilities; Section 40 promotes inclusive education through accessible  schools/parks and  learning  materials  etc.  The  National  Education  Policy  2020  advocates  for  inclusive education for children with disabilities.

The Government supports children with autism, cerebral palsy, intellectual disabilities, and multiple  disabilities  through  legal  and  financial  aid.  The  National  Trust  under  DEPwD  is implementing Vikaas (Day Care) scheme, Gharaunda (Group Home for Adults) scheme, and

## Government of India

## Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment

Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (Divyangjan)

## LOK  SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 249

TO BE ANSWERED ON 22/07/2025

## Support to Children with Special Needs

the  Niramaya  Health  Insurance  scheme  in  Maharashtra,  benefiting  approximately  5,100 beneficiaries including Divyangjan children over the last two years. The National Institute for Empowerment of Persons with Intellectual Disabilities (NIEPID) under DEPwD provides rehabilitation services to Persons with Intellectual disabilities from birth to life-span. NIEPID Regional Centre Navi Mumbai caters services for all age groups of  Persons  with  Intellectual  Disabilities  (PwIDs)  from  Centre-based  to  Community-Based Rehabilitation. This Centre is providing Mobile Therapy Bus Service to Divyangjan. It also provides services to persons with Autism under e-Sanidhya Project. The Central Government has launched National Action Plan for Skill Development of PwDs (NAP-SDP) with an aim to enhance the skills of PwDs with an age of 15 and above. In the last  two  years,  an  amount  of  ₹19.98  crore  has  been  released  under  NAP-SDP  scheme including Maharashtra. The DEPwD,  in  collaboration  with  the Ministry  of  Education,  implements  the ADIPSamagra Shiksha Abhiyan (ADIP-SSA) to provide aids/appliances to Children with Special Needs  (CWSN).  In Maharashtra,  5,418  CWSN benefited  in 2023-24  and  2024-25  under ADIP-SSA. Under  the  Central  Sector  Scheme  named  'Scholarships  for  Students  with  Disabilities'

scheme,  around  Rs.  12  crore  have  been  released  to  2,219  students  with  disabilities  in Maharashtra over the past two years.

DEPwD has launched single window, Cross Disability Early Intervention Centres (CDEICs) in  its  various  National  Institutes  (NIs)  and  Composite  Regional  Centres  (CRCs)  to  give specialized  support  and  services  for  infants  and  young  children  who  are  at  risk  or  have disabilities and/or development delays to children in the age bracket of 0-6 years.

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