Lok Sabha Question No. 2020 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-03-11
Subject: Empowerment of Divyangjans
Ministry: SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT
Asked by: Shri Ajay Bhatt

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

## LOK SABHA

†2020. Shri Ajay Bhatt:

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

(a) the measures taken by the Government for empowerment  of persons with State (Divyangjans);

(b)  whether  the  Government  has  taken  any  steps  to  impart  skill  development  training  to Divyangjans particularly in Uttarakhand;

(c) the percentage of Divyangjans got employment after receiving the said training along with the details thereof; and

(d)  the  initiatives  taken  by  the  Government  for  upliftment  of  Divyangjans  along  with  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 number 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 benchmark 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 persons with disabilities for Purchase/Fitting of Aids  and  Appliances  (ADIP),  Scheme  for  Implementation  of  the  Rights  of  Persons  with Disabilities  Act,  2016  (SIPDA),  Deendayal  Divyangjan  Rehabilitation  Scheme  (DDRS)  and Scholarship Schemes.

(b)  &  (c)  Department  of  Empowerment  of  Persons  with  Disabilities  implements  the  National Action Plan for Skill Development of Persons with Disabilities (NAP-SDP).  Under NAP-SDP, skill training is imparted to persons with disabilities in the age group of 15 to 59 years through various  Government and  Non-Government Organizations across the  country,  empanelled with the Department as training partners (ETPs). Under the NAP-SDP scheme, skill training is being

UNSTARRED QUESTION No:- 2020 TO BE ANSWERED ON:11/03/2025

## 'EMPOWERMENT OF DIVYANGJANS'

provided to the persons with disability through  the  Government  and  Non-Government Organizations across the country including State of Uttarakhand. It is a demand driven scheme and funds are released to empaneled training partners based on their proposals.

Till  date,  this  Department  has  provided  the  skill  training  to  1.42  lakh  PwDs  at  a  cost  of  Rs. 156.94 crore. Out of these, 28000 PwDs  have  been placed in wage-employment/selfemployment.

(d) Although 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  Persons  with  Disabilities  for  Purchase/Fitting  of  Aids  and  Appliance (ADIP): Under ADIP funds are released to various Implementing Agencies to assist the eligible persons  with  disabilities  in  procuring  standard  aids  and  appliances  that  can  promote  their physical,  social  and  psychological  rehabilitation.  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.

(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 activities  relating  to  the  implementation  of  the  Rights  of  Persons  with  Disabilities  Act,  2016. Some  of  the  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) Unique Disability Identity Card, and
- (d)  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. During the last three years (2021-22, 2022-23, 2023-24), 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 Pre-matric (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  (  Ph.D.  courses  in  Indian Universities) and National Overseas Scholarship (Masters Degree/ Ph.D in Foreign Universities/Institutes). During the last three years (2021-22, 2022-23, 2023-24), 1,15,667 PwDs were benefitted under the Scheme.

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