Lok Sabha Question No. 3654 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-08-11
Subject: Training and Employment to Differently Abled
Ministry: SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT
Asked by: SHRIKANT EKNATH SHINDE, RABINDRA KUMAR JENA, RAHUL RAMESH SHEWALE, NAGENDRA KUMAR PRADHAN, VINAYAK BHAURAO RAUT, GAURAV GOGOI, KALIKESH NARAYAN SINGH DEO

**GOVERNMENT OF INDIA**

**MINISTRY OF SOCIAL JUSTICE & EMPOWERMENT**

**DEPARTMENT OF EMPOWERMENT OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES**

**LOK SABHA**

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.3654

TO BE ANSWERED ON 11.08.2015

**TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT TO DIFFERENTLY ABLED**

3654 .Dr. Shrikant Eknath Shinde,

Shri Rabindra Kumar Jena,

Shri Rahul Shewale,

Shri Nagendra Kumar Pradhan,

Shri Vinayak Bhaurao Raut,

Shri Gaurav Gogoi &

Shri Kalikesh N. Singh Deo.:

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

a) 	whether a majority of disabled population living in rural areas are unemployed and if so, the details thereof;

b) 	whether the Government has formulated any scheme to provide training to such people for self-employment and entrepreneurial pursuits, if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;

c) 	whether any Memorandum of Understanding has been signed by the Government for collaboration and support in the area of training and employment of persons with disabilities; and

d) 	if so, the details thereof and the salient features of the said MoU and the present status?

**ANSWER**

**MINSTER OF STATE FOR  SOCIAL JUSTICE & EMPOWERMENT**

**(SHRI KRISHNA PAL GURJAR)**

a) :	As per Census 2011, the total rural population of Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) is 1.86 crore, out of which 1.16 crore  are non-workers.

b) The schemes being implemented for training, self-employment and entrepreneurship development of Persons with Disabilities are given in the Statement–I enclosed.

c) & d):  A Memorandum of Understanding has been signed between the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD) and the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) with the objective of making collaborative efforts towards skilling of the Persons with Disabilities. A brief of the MOU is given in the Statement II enclosed.

*****

STATEMENT-I

**Statement – I referred to in reply to part (b) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 3654 to be answered on 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. **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.

2. **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.

3. **NHFDC:** 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.

4. **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.

5. **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.

6. **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 Unstarred Question No. 3654 to be answered on 11.08.2015**

Salient features of the Memorandum of Understanding signed between Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities and Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE):

An MOU has been signed on the 21st day of March, 2015 between Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPWD) and Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE).	Under the MOU both the Departments have agreed to make concerted efforts towards skill development of the PwDs and are in agreement to work together to undertake the following activities:

1. To jointly develop and implement a National Action Plan for skill training of PWDs;
2. To operationalize the Sector Skill Council (SSC) exclusively to meet the skilling needs of PWDs;
3. To jointly establish  a Project Monitoring Unit (PMU).
4. To jointly fund initiative and mobilize financial support/ funds from various available sources;
5. To utilize the expertise and knowledge of National Institutes under DEPWD will be utilized in the implementation of the National Action Plan for PWDs.
6. To transform the National Institutes under DEPWD as Centres of Excellence in their respective category of disability;
7. To bring in the internationally known best practices in the field of skill development and entrepreneurship and for that purpose get the services of internationally renowned experts;
8. To prepare PwDs for participation in paralympics and abilympics; and
9. To leverage International partnerships/ technical cooperation/ funding in the implementation of the National Action Plan for PWDs.

*****