Lok Sabha Question No. 3728 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-08-12
Subject: UDID Cards in West Bengal
Ministry: SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT
Asked by: Shri Jagannath Sarkar

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

## LOK SABHA

## 3728. Shri Jagannath Sarkar:

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

- (a)  the  total  number  of  persons  with  disabilities  in  West  Bengal  as  per  Census  2011, disaggregated by category of disability;
- (b) the total number of Unique Disability ID (UDID) cards issued in West Bengal so far, and the reasons for the negligible issuance of UDID cards in the State;
- (c)  whether  the  Ministry  is  aware of the  challenges  faced  in  the  implementation  of  the UDID project in West Bengal; and
- (d) the steps taken or proposed by the Ministry to increase the issuance of UDID cards in West Bengal including awareness campaigns, infrastructural support, or policy measures?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT

(SHRI B. L. VERMA)

- (a) As per  2011  Census,  there are a total of 20,17,406 persons with disabilities (PwDs) in the state of West Bengal. The disability-wise distribution of PwDs in West Bengal is annexured.
- (b) and (c)  As of 6th August 2025, a total of 1,50,901 UDID cards have been issued in the State of West Bengal through the UDID Portal (Url: www.swavlambancard.gov.in).

The State Government of West Bengal got on-boarded to the centralized system in September 2024, whereas the Central Government launched the UDID Project in May 2016.

## UNSTARRED QUESTION No- 3728

FOR ANSWER ON- 12/08/2025

## UDID Cards in West Bengal

- (d) The steps taken by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities to facilitate issuance of UDID cards in West Bengal include the following:
- i) Release  of  funds  to  the  tune  of  Rs.  23  lakh  to  the  State  Government  of  West  Bengal  for procurement of IT infrastructure during 2018-19 under the UDID sub-scheme.
- ii) Senior officers of the Department hold regular meetings with concerned authorities of the State Government of West Bengal.
- iii) Training has been provided to the medical professionals on the use of the UDID portal and the latest provisions of the revised disability assessment guidelines. The most recent training on the revised guidelines was conducted in Kolkata in March 2025.

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Annexure

## Annexure referred to in reply to part (a) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 3728 to be answered on 12/08/2025 regarding 'UDID Cards in West Bengal'

## Category-wise  number  of  Persons  with  Disabilities  in  the  State  of  West  Bengal  as  per Census-2011

|   Total number of persons with disabilities |   In seeing |   In Hearing |   In Speech |   In Movement |   Mental Retardation |   Mental Illness |   Any Other |   Multiple Disability |
|---------------------------------------------|-------------|--------------|-------------|---------------|----------------------|------------------|-------------|-----------------------|
|                                     2017406 |      424473 |       315192 |      147336 |        322945 |               136523 |            71515 |      402921 |                196501 |