(a) whether the Government had announced a plan to employ one lakh disabled persons in the
Private Sector in the current financial year;
(b) if so,the details of the plan;
(c) whether not a single appointment has been made so far under this scheme;
(d) if so, the details and reasons therefor; and
(e) the corrective measures being taken in this regard?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT(SMT. SUBBULAKSHMI JAGADEESAN)
(a) to (c) In the budget speech of 2007-08, Government committed support for the creation of about
1,00,000 jobs every year for physically challenged persons with a salary limit of Rs.25,000 per
month through a Scheme wherein, Government agreed to reimburse the Employees Provident Fund
Organization (EPFO)` and the Employees State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) for the first three
years, once the physically challenged employee is regularized and enrolled under the Scheme.
Accordingly, a Central Sector Scheme of providing incentives to employers in private sector by way
of bearing employer`s contribution to the Employees Provident Fund Organization and Employees
State Insurance Corporation for the first three years, in respect of persons with disabilities,
appointed on or after 1.4.2008 with monthly wage up to Rs.25,000/- has been introduced from 1.4.2008.
While the Employees Provident Fund Organization has reported having received claims for availing
the incentives under the Scheme in respect of 33 employees with disabilities so far, the Employees
State Insurance Corporation has reported having covered 21 such employees so far.
(d) & (e) The following steps have been taken to intensify the implementation of the scheme:-
# Scheme was sent by Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment on 26
February, 2008, to all Ministries/ Departments of Government of India, all States/
UTs, Chambers of Commerce & Industry and NGOs working in the Disability
Sector.
# Ministry of Labour & Employment issued necessary notification under the EPFO
and ESI Act on 31.3.2008. EPFO and ESIC issued details guidelines about the
scheme to their respective offices in May. 2008.
# The Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment has sanctioned advance amount
Of Rs.l crore and 50 lakh To EPFO and ESIC, respectively to enable them to pay
employers` contribution as soon as valid claims are received.
# Advertisements about the scheme are being published in newspapers at regular
intervals.
# Ministries of Social Justice & Empowerment and Labour & Employment, the
Employees Provident Fund Organization and the Employees State Insurance
Corporation have prominently publicized the scheme on their websites.
# Minister (SJ&E) personally wrote to all State Chief Ministers/ Administrators of
UTs in August, 2008 requesting them to publicised the scheme and to have its
progress monitored regularly.
# Letters were sent by Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment in October.,2008
to Chairmen and Chief Executives of FICCI, CII, NASSCOM, ASSOCHAM and
PHDCCI requesting wide publicity of the Scheme, and to encourage their
members to avail of the Scheme by appointing persons with disabilities.
# FICCI organized a National Conference on engaging industry in employment of
persons with disabilities on the 17Ui October, 2008.
# Twenty past recipients of National Award for Best Employers of persons with
disabilies were individually requested in September 2008 to employ more persons
with disabilities and publicize the Scheme.
# State Welfare Secretaries in a Conference held on 17-18 October 2008, were
requested to ensure intensive implementation of the scheme in their respective
States/UTs.
# The High Level Monitoring Committee constituted for the scheme has held two
meetings so far, to, inter-alia, chalk out steps necessary to intensify
implementation of the scheme