Lok Sabha Question No. 311 (STARRED), answered on 2015-08-11
Subject: Employment to Differently Abled Persons
Ministry: SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT
Asked by: B.V. NAYAK

**GOVERNMENT OF INDIA**

**MINISTRY OF SOCIAL JUSTICE & EMPOWERMENT**

**DEPARTMENT OF DISABILITY AFFAIRS**

**LOK SABHA**

**UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.311***

**TO BE ANSWERED ON 11.08.2015**

**EMPLOYMENT TO DIFFERENTLY ABLED PERSONS**

*** 311. Shri B.V. Naik:**

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

(a) 	whether the Government is implementing any scheme to facilitate employment to differently abled persons in the private sector;

(b)	if so, the details and the present status of the scheme;

(c)  the total outlay and expenditure incurred under the scheme during the Eleventh and Twelfth Five Year Plan Period, plan-wise;

(d)	 whether this scheme has been abled to achieve its target of creating 1 lakh jobs per annum and if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor; and

(e) the measures taken/ being taken by the Government for economic rehabilitation of  differently abled persons in the country?

**ANSWER**

**MINSTER FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE & EMPOWERMENT**

**(SHRI THAAWARCHAND GEHLOT)**

1. To (e):	A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

**Statement referred to in reply to Lok Sabha Starred Question No.311 for 11.08.2015 raised by Shri B.V.Naik regarding employment to differently abled persons**

(a) & b):  A list of various schemes being implemented for employment in private sector as well as self-employment of Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) is given in Statement-I enclosed.

c):   A statement of outlay and expenditure under the various schemes is given in **Statement-II.**

(d):   The target of providing skill training to 1 lakh Persons with Disabilities has been fixed for the year 2015-16 under the National Action Plan for Skill Development of PwDs which was announced on 21st March, 2015. The said National Action Plan is effective from the current financial year 2015-16.

(e):  The primary responsibility for programs for the welfare of persons with disabilities, including persons with physical and mental disabilities, lies with the State Government as per entry No.9 in the “State List”. However, the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities supplements the efforts of the States in the welfare of Persons with Disabilities.

A list of schemes being run by this Department for differently abled citizens of the country is given at **Statement – I** as mentioned in reply to (a) and (b) above.

In addition there is a provision of 3% reservation in Government jobs for persons with Disabilities as per Section 33 of the Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act, 1995.

*********

**Statement-I**

**Statement-I referred to in reply to part (a) of**

**LOK SABHA Starred Question No. 311 for 11.08.2015**

**The details of schemes/programs being implemented by the Government for skill training/ development of the differently abled persons in the country:**

1. **Incentives to Private Employers for Providing Employment for Physically Challenged:** Under this Scheme, the Ministry provides the employer’s contribution for Employees Provident Fund (EPF) and Employees State Insurance (ESI) for 3 years, for employees with disabilities employed in the private sector on or after 01.04.2008, with a monthly salary upto Rs.25,000/-.

**2.	SIPDA** (Scheme for Implementation of Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act, 1995): Under this scheme, financial assistance is provided to State Governments and to autonomous organizations/Institutions under Central or State Governments, for various activities relating to implementation of Persons with Disabilities Act, 1995. Under this scheme grant-in-aid is provided for the skill development programmes for PwDs with effect from the year 2013-14.

**3.	Deendayal Disabled Rehabilitation Scheme (DDRS):** Under Deendayal Disabled Rehabilitation Scheme (DDRS) Vocational Training Centre projects run by NGOs are given financial assistance (up to 90% of the project cost) for skill upgradation of PwDs. These are meant for the age group of 15-35 years to provide skills to enable such persons to move towards economic independence.

**4.	National Handicapped Finance and Development Corporation (NHFDC)** , a Corporation under the administrative control of Department of  Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, gives skill training grant for Skill Training and Entrepreneurship of PwDs wherein it provides 100% of the total recurring cost of the training programme to the training institutes/organisations. NHFDC also provides stipend @Rs.2000/- per month to the disabled trainees during the training. The training duration ranges from one month to one year. The funds for training programmes of NHFDC are provided through the SIPDA scheme and also met from the internal resources of the Corporation. NHFDC also provides concessional loans for self-employment of PwDs.

**5.	Skill training through the National Institutes:** The seven National Institutes (NIs) under the administrative control of Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities also organise Vocational Training Programmes for the PwDs in their respective field of disability for appropriate trades.

6. **Vocational Rehabilitation Centre for Handicapped:** The Ministry of Labour & Employment has set up 21 Vocational Rehabilitation Centres for Handicapped (VRCs) in different parts of the country.  The main objective of these centers is to impart non formal vocational training and extend vocational rehabilitation assistance to PwDs as per their residual capacities with a view to assist them to lead an independent and productive life in society.

7.	The **National Action Plan** for skill development of Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) has been announced on 21-03-2015.  The National Action Plan targets to skill 5 lakh (PwDs) in the first three years from 2015-16 to 2017-18 and 20 lakh in subsequent period from 2018-2022.

**Statement – II**

**Statement –II referred to in reply to part (c) of Lok Sabha Starred Question No. 311 for 11.08.2015**

**Financial Outlay and Expenditure incurred during the XI and XII Plan Period**

**(Rs. In Crore)**

| **Plan Period**                                                       | **Name of the Scheme**                                                               |           |                                                                                 |            |                                               |            |                                                                |            |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------|-----------------------------------------------|------------|----------------------------------------------------------------|------------|
|                                                                       | **Scheme of Incentive for providing  Employment to Physically Challenged Persons *** |           | **Scheme for implementation of the persons with Disabilities Act 1995 (SIPDA)** |            | **Deendayal Disabled Rehabilitation Schemes** |            | **National Handicapped Finance & Development Corporation** |            |
|                                                                       | **BE**                                                                               | **Exp**   | **BE**                                                                          | **Exp**    | **BE**                                        | **Exp**    | **BE**                                                         | **Exp**    |
| **XI Five Year Plan**  **(From 2007-08 to 2011-12)**                  | 43.00                                                                                | 7.05      | 258.00                                                                          | 114.52     | 456.00                                        | 365.26     | 125.00                                                         | 112.00     |
| **XII Five Year Plan**  **(From 2012-13 to 2015-16 as on 6.08.2015)** | 12.50                                                                                | 1.905     | 420.00                                                                          | 115.88     | 394.85                                        | 177.86     | 137.00                                                         | 120.63     |
| **Total**                                                             | **55.50**                                                                            | **8.955** | **678.00**                                                                      | **230.40** | **850.85**                                    | **543.12** | **262.00**                                                     | **232.63** |

**BE – Budget Estimates**

**Exp -	Expenditure**

**(*)** The scheme was effective from 2008-09.  This scheme is implemented through EPFO and ESIC.  Amount is released to EPFO/ESIC as per demands raised by the respective organizations for reimbursement of employer’s contribution to them.