Lok Sabha Question No. 1653 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-02-10
Subject: Visually Impaired Persons
Ministry: SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT
Asked by: Shri Naveen Jindal

## Government of India Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (Divyangjan)

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION No -1653 TO BE ANSWERED ON- 10/02/2026

## VISUALLY IMPAIRED PERSONS

1653: SHRI NAVEEN JINDAL:

Will the Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment be pleased to state:

- (a)  the  number of visually impaired persons in the Country as on 31st december, 2025, Statewise;
- (b) the details of various schemes being implemented by the various Ministries and Departments of the Government for the welfare of the visually impaired persons; and
- (c) the target set and achieved, the outlay earmarked and actual expenditure in respect of each of these  scheme and the targets set and outlay  earmarked for each of the scheme in the ongoing fiscal scheme and year-wise, during each of the last five years?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE& EMPOWERMENT

## (SHRI B L VERMA)

- (a):          As  per  the  last  Census  held  in  2011,  the  number  of  visually  impaired  persons  in  the country  was  50,33,431.  State-wise  details  of  the  number  of  visually  impaired  persons  are enclosed at Annexure -I.
- (b):       The Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities is implementing various schemes for the welfare of visually impaired persons. The details of some of the schemes are as under:
- i) DDRS:The  Deendayal  Divyangjan  Rehabilitation  Scheme  (DDRS)  is  a  Central  Sector Scheme  of  the  Department  of  Empowerment  of  Persons  with  Disabilities  (DEPwD)  under which  grant-in-aid is released for the projects providing rehabilitation to persons with disabilities  including  visually  impaired,  with  the  objective  of  enabling  them  to  attain  and maintain  optimal  physical,  sensory,  intellectual,  psychiatric  and  socio-functional  levels.  The District Disability Rehabilitation Centres are also a part of this scheme.
- (ii) 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  including

persons with visual disabilities 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.

- iii) Scholarship: -The Department of Empowerment  of Persons with Disabilities is implementing an Umbrella Scheme titled 'Scholarships for Students with Disabilities (Divyangjan)' which comprises six components viz;
-  Pre-matric (Classes IX & X),
-  Post-matric (Classes XI to Post graduate Degree and Diploma),
-  Top Class Education (Graduate and Post graduate Degree/Diploma in notified institutes of excellence in education),
-  National Overseas Scholarship (Masters Degree/ Ph.D in Foreign Universities),
-  National Fellowship for PwDs (M Phil and Ph.D in Indian Universities),
-  Free Coaching  (for competitive exams  for group A  and  B posts and entrance examinations for admission to technical and professional courses).
- iv) SIPDA: - The Scheme for Implementation of Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 (SIPDA) is an umbrella scheme comprising the following sub-schemes:
- (i) Creation of Barrier Free Environment (BFE) for Persons with Disabilities
- (ii) Cross Disability Early Intervention Centre (CDEIC)
- (iii) Unique Disability IDentification (UDID) Project
- (iv) National Action Plan (NAP) for Skill Development for PwDs
- (v) Awareness Generation and Publicity (AGP) with In-service Training
- (vi) Assistance to Spinal Injury Centers
- (vii) Research on Disability for empowerment of PwDs related Technology, Product and Issues
- (viii) Sub-scheme as 'Projects under SIPDA':
- a. Project for financial assistance for the development of Accessible Learning Materials(DALM Project)
- b. Assistance to existing Deaf Colleges
- (ix) Central Project Monitoring (CPMU) cum Data Strategy Unit (DSU)
- (c):        The  details  of  the  outlay  earmarked  and  actual  expenditure  incurred  in  respect  of  the various  schemes  being  implemented  by  the  DEPwD  for  PwDs  including  visually  impaired persons are enclosed at Annexure II.

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| Annexure I referred to in reply to part (a) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No.1653 for answer on10.02.2026 regarding Visually Impaired Persons   | Annexure I referred to in reply to part (a) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No.1653 for answer on10.02.2026 regarding Visually Impaired Persons   | Annexure I referred to in reply to part (a) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No.1653 for answer on10.02.2026 regarding Visually Impaired Persons   |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Number of Disabled Persons with Visual Disability as per Census 2011                                                                              | Number of Disabled Persons with Visual Disability as per Census 2011                                                                              | Number of Disabled Persons with Visual Disability as per Census 2011                                                                              |
| S.No.                                                                                                                                             | State                                                                                                                                             | Number of Disabled Persons with Visual Disability                                                                                                 |
| 1                                                                                                                                                 | Andhra Pradesh                                                                                                                                    | 398144                                                                                                                                            |
| 2                                                                                                                                                 | Arunachal Pradesh                                                                                                                                 | 5652                                                                                                                                              |
| 3                                                                                                                                                 | Assam                                                                                                                                             | 80553                                                                                                                                             |
| 4                                                                                                                                                 | Bihar                                                                                                                                             | 549080                                                                                                                                            |
| 5                                                                                                                                                 | Chhattisgarh                                                                                                                                      | 111169                                                                                                                                            |
| 6                                                                                                                                                 | Delhi                                                                                                                                             | 30124                                                                                                                                             |
| 7                                                                                                                                                 | Goa                                                                                                                                               | 4964                                                                                                                                              |
| 8                                                                                                                                                 | Gujarat                                                                                                                                           | 214150                                                                                                                                            |
| 9                                                                                                                                                 | Haryana                                                                                                                                           | 82702                                                                                                                                             |
| 10                                                                                                                                                | Himachal Pradesh                                                                                                                                  | 26076                                                                                                                                             |
| 11                                                                                                                                                | J&K                                                                                                                                               | 66448                                                                                                                                             |
| 12                                                                                                                                                | Jharkhand                                                                                                                                         | 180721                                                                                                                                            |
| 13                                                                                                                                                | Karnataka                                                                                                                                         | 264170                                                                                                                                            |
| 14                                                                                                                                                | Kerala                                                                                                                                            | 115513                                                                                                                                            |
| 15                                                                                                                                                | Madhya Pradesh                                                                                                                                    | 270751                                                                                                                                            |
| 16                                                                                                                                                | Maharashtra                                                                                                                                       | 574052                                                                                                                                            |
| 17                                                                                                                                                | Manipur                                                                                                                                           | 19194                                                                                                                                             |
| 18                                                                                                                                                | Mizoram                                                                                                                                           | 2035                                                                                                                                              |
| 19                                                                                                                                                | Meghalaya                                                                                                                                         | 6980                                                                                                                                              |
| 20                                                                                                                                                | Nagaland                                                                                                                                          | 4150                                                                                                                                              |
| 21                                                                                                                                                | Odisha                                                                                                                                            | 263799                                                                                                                                            |
| 22                                                                                                                                                | Punjab                                                                                                                                            | 82199                                                                                                                                             |
| 23                                                                                                                                                | Rajasthan                                                                                                                                         | 314618                                                                                                                                            |
| 24                                                                                                                                                | Sikkim                                                                                                                                            | 2772                                                                                                                                              |
| 25                                                                                                                                                | Tamil Nadu                                                                                                                                        | 127405                                                                                                                                            |
| 26                                                                                                                                                | Tripura                                                                                                                                           | 10828                                                                                                                                             |
| 27                                                                                                                                                | Uttar Pradesh                                                                                                                                     | 763988                                                                                                                                            |
| 28                                                                                                                                                | Uttarakhand                                                                                                                                       | 29107                                                                                                                                             |
| 29                                                                                                                                                | West Bengal                                                                                                                                       | 424473                                                                                                                                            |
| 30                                                                                                                                                | A&N Islands                                                                                                                                       | 1084                                                                                                                                              |
| 31                                                                                                                                                | Chandigarh                                                                                                                                        | 1774                                                                                                                                              |
| 32                                                                                                                                                | Daman &Diu                                                                                                                                        | 382                                                                                                                                               |
| 33                                                                                                                                                | D&NHaveli                                                                                                                                         | 429                                                                                                                                               |
| 34                                                                                                                                                | Lakshadweep                                                                                                                                       | 337                                                                                                                                               |
| 35                                                                                                                                                | Puducherry                                                                                                                                        | 3608                                                                                                                                              |

## Annexure-II referred to in reply to part (c) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No.1653 for answer on10.02.2026 regarding Visually Impaired Persons

## Scheme wise Budget Allocation, Revised Allocation and Actual Expenditure of last 5 years:

| Rs. in crore   | Rs. in crore                                                                       | Rs. in crore   | Rs. in crore    | Rs. in crore    | Rs. in crore   | Rs. in crore   | Rs. in crore   | Rs. in crore   | Rs. in crore    | Rs. in crore   | Rs. in crore   | Rs. in crore   | Rs. in crore            | Rs. in crore   | Rs. in crore   | Rs. in crore         |
|----------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------|-----------------|-----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|-----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|-------------------------|----------------|----------------|----------------------|
| S.N o          | Scheme                                                                             | Scheme         | BE 2021- 22     | RE 2021- 22     | AE 2021- 22    | BE 2022- 23    | RE 2022- 23    | AE 2022- 23    | BE 2023- 24     | RE 2023- 24    | AE 2023- 24    | BE 2024- 25    | RE 2024- 25 AE 2024- 25 | BE 2025- 26    | RE 2025- 26    | AE as on 06.02.202 6 |
| 1              | Assistance Disabled Persons purchase Fitting Devices (ADIP)                        | to for of      | 220.0 0         | 180.0 0 198.7 0 | 235.0 0        | 230.0 0        |                | 242.2 9        | 245.0 0 305.0 0 | 290.6 0        | 315.0 0        | 350.0 0        | 348.8 1                 | 316.7 0        | 330.6 0        | 291.05               |
| 2              | Deen Divyangjan Rehabilitation Scheme (DDRS)                                       | Dayal          | 125.0 0 105.0 0 | 100.9 0         | 125.0 0        | 105.0 0        | 114.6 9        | 130.0 0        | 130.0 0         | 129.9 8        | 165.0 0        | 139.0 0        | 139.3 9                 | 165.0 0        | 145.0 0        | 76.94                |
| 3              | Scheme for Implementatio n of Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act 2016 (SIPDA) | 209.7 7        | 147.3 1         | 108.4 4         | 240.3 9        | 100.0 0        | 65.59          | 150.0 0        | 67.00           | 76.79          | 135.3 3        | 80.00          | 89.71                   | 115.1 0        | 200.0 0        | 98.71                |
| 4              | Scholarships for Students with Disabilities                                        | 125.0 0        | 110.0 0         | 120.3 2         | 105.0 0        | 145.0 0        | 142.0 0        | 155.0 0        | 155.0 0         | 130.0 7        | 142.6 8        | 111.0 0        | 44.16                   | 145.0 0        | 135.0 0        | 75.57                |
|                | Total Scheme                                                                       | 679.7 7        | 542.3 1         | 528.3 6         | 705.3 9        | 580.0 0        | 564.5 7        | 680.0 0        | 657.0 0         | 627.4 4        | 758.0 1        | 680.0 0        | 622.0 7                 | 741.8 0        | 810.6 0        | 542.27               |

BE- Budget Estimates

RE- Revised Estimates

AE- Actual Expenditure

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