Lok Sabha Question No. 322 (STARRED), answered on 2015-08-11
Subject: Leprosy Patients
Ministry: SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT
Asked by: MAHEISH GIRRI

**GOVERNMENT OF INDIA**

**MINISTRY OF SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENRT**

**DEPARTMENT OF EMPOWERMENT PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES**

**LOK SABHA**

**STARRED QUESTION No.*322**

**TO BE ANSWERED ON 11.08.2015**

**LEPROSY PATIENTS**

***322. SHRI MAHEISH GIRRI:**

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

1. the total number of leprosy patients in the country, State-wise;

1. whether the leprosy patients feel disenchanted due to negligence by the society;

1. if so, the details thereof and the steps taken/being taken by the Government to examine the complexities that arise with regard to their jobs, housing, healthcare etc.;

1. whether any special scheme/programme initiated/being initiated by the Government for cure, rehabilitation and their welfare and to bring them into the mainstream of the society, if so, the details thereof; and

1. the various schemes/programmes under implementation, scheme-wise including National Capital Territory of Delhi?

**ANSWER**

**MINISTER OF SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT**

**(SHRI  THAAWARCHAND GEHLOT)**

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

**Statement referred in reply to part (a) to (e) of Lok Sabha Starred Question No.*322 for answer on 11.08.2015 regarding Leprosy Patients.**

(a) Statement of number of    leprosy patients in the country as in June, 2015 state wise, is Annexed.

(b) No such case is reported.

(c) (d) & (e)  The National Leprosy Control Programme was launched by the Govt. of India in 1955. Multi Drug Therapy (MDT) came into wide use from 1982 and the National Leprosy Eradication Programme (NLEP), was introduced in 1983. Since then, remarkable progress has been achieved in reducing the disease burden. India achieved the goal of elimination of leprosy as a public health problem, defined as less than 1 case per 10,000 population, at the National level in the month of December 2005 as set by the National Health Policy, 2002. MDT is supplied free of cost through WHO. Activities under National Leprosy Eradication Programme (NLEP) include diagnosis and free treatment, training of general health staff, intensive awareness generation and reduction of stigma and discrimination medical rehabilitation, disability prevention and Capacity Building etc.

The Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities has approved kits for Leprosy Affected People for distribution under the Scheme of Assistance to Disabled Persons for purchase/Fitting of Aids and Appliances (ADIP), which contain (i)  Eleven Common Assistive Daily Living (ADL) devices and (ii) 34 individual optional devices as per requirement. For Leprosy cured persons special clinics are being conducted by Pt.Deendayal Upadhayay Institute for Physically Handicapped Delhi, National Institute for the Orthopedically Handicapped Kolkata, Swami Vivekanand National Institute for Rehabilitation Training & Research Cuttack, who have also been identified for performing corrective surgeries.

Letters have been written to Chief Ministers of all States for regularisation of 778 self occupied colonies of Leprosy affected persons and identification of such other colonies so that comprehensive measures can be taken for their rehabilitation. Delhi Government is also implementing National Leprosy Eradication Programme to detect and treat Leprosy patients and their medical rehabilitation.

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| **Annexure**  **Statement referred to in reply to para (a) of Lok Sabha Starred Question No. 322 for 11.08.2015.**  **National Leprosy Eradication Programme**   |                   |                                  |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------|----------------------------------|
| **S.No.**                                                                                                                                                        | **States/UTs**    | **No. of cases as on June 2015** |
| 1                                                                                                                                                                | Andhra Pradesh    | 2899                             |
| 2                                                                                                                                                                | Arunachal Pradesh | 28                               |
| 3                                                                                                                                                                | Assam             | 808                              |
| 4                                                                                                                                                                | Bihar             | 11589                            |
| 5                                                                                                                                                                | Chhattisgarh      | 6306                             |
| 6                                                                                                                                                                | Goa               | 63                               |
| 7                                                                                                                                                                | Gujarat           | 4786                             |
| 8                                                                                                                                                                | Haryana           | 676                              |
| 9                                                                                                                                                                | Himachal Pradesh  | 148                              |
| 10                                                                                                                                                               | Jharkhand         | 3873                             |
| 11                                                                                                                                                               | Jammu & Kashmir   | 181                              |
| 12                                                                                                                                                               | Karnataka         | 2444                             |
| 13                                                                                                                                                               | Kerala            | 714                              |
| 14                                                                                                                                                               | Madhya Pradesh    | 5907                             |
| 15                                                                                                                                                               | Maharashtra       | 11053                            |
| 16                                                                                                                                                               | Manipur           | 20                               |
| 17                                                                                                                                                               | Meghalaya         | 23                               |
| 18                                                                                                                                                               | Mizoram           | 17                               |
| 19                                                                                                                                                               | Nagaland          | 45                               |
| 20                                                                                                                                                               | Odisha            | 5792                             |
| 21                                                                                                                                                               | Punjab            | 579                              |
| 22                                                                                                                                                               | Rajasthan         | 1212                             |
| 23                                                                                                                                                               | Sikkim            | 15                               |
| 24                                                                                                                                                               | Tamil Nadu        | 3180                             |
| 25                                                                                                                                                               | Telangana         | 1983                             |
| 26                                                                                                                                                               | Tripura           | 61                               |
| 27                                                                                                                                                               | Uttar Pradesh     | 15219                            |
| 28                                                                                                                                                               | Uttarakhand       | 393                              |
| 29                                                                                                                                                               | West Bengal       | 8271                             |
| 30                                                                                                                                                               | A & N Islands     | 20                               |
| 31                                                                                                                                                               | Chandigarh        | 136                              |
| 32                                                                                                                                                               | D & N Haveli      | 261                              |
| 33                                                                                                                                                               | Daman & Diu       | 18                               |
| 34                                                                                                                                                               | Delhi             | 80                               |
| 35                                                                                                                                                               | Lakshadweep       | 6                                |
| 36                                                                                                                                                               | Puducherry        | 33                               |
|                                                                                                                                                                  | **Total**         | **88839**                        |
|                                                                                                                                                                  |                   |                                  |