a) the number of handicapped persons in the country, State-wise including Rajasthan;
(b) the details of the concrete steps taken by the Government for empowerment of the differently abled;
(c) whether the Government proposes to enhance the ability/skills of the differently abled and to ensure their contribution in the development of the country; and
(d) if so, the details thereof?
MINISTER OF STATE FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT
(SHRI KRISHANPAL GURJAR)
(a) As per Census 2011, there are 2,68,14,994 persons with disabilities in India. State-wise population of persons with disabilities including the State of Rajasthan is at Annexure.
(b) The Government has enacted the Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act, 1995 which provides various entitlements for persons with disabilities and mandates the appropriate Governments for taking measures for their empowerment. The Ministry also implements various schemes for the empowerment of persons with disabilities. The important schemes are:
(i) Assistance to Disabled Persons for Purchase/Fitting of Aids and Appliances (ADIP): Under ADIP Scheme the funds are released to various Implementing Agencies to assist the needy disabled persons 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 enhance their economic potential.
(ii) Scheme for Implementation of Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act, 1995 (SIPDA): Under this scheme, 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, particularly for creation of barrier free environment for persons with disabilities.
(iii) The Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities is implementing a Scheme, namely, Deendayal Disabled Rehabilitation Scheme (DDRS) under which grant-in-aid is provided to Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) for their projects relating to rehabilitation of persons with disabilities aimed at enabling persons with disabilities to reach and maintain their optimal, physical, sensory, intellectual, psychiatric or social functional levels.
(iv) Scholarship schemes for students with disabilities such as Pre-matric, Post-metric, Top Class Education, National Fellowship, National Overseas Scholarship.
In addition 7 National Institutes namely National Institute for the Visually Handicapped (NIVH), Dehradun, National Institute for the Mentally Handicapped (NIMH), Secunderabad, Ali Yavar Jung National Institutes for the Hearing Handicapped (AYJNIHH), Mumbai, National Institute for the Orthopaedically Handicapped (NIOH), Kolkata, Swami Vivekanand National Institute for Rehabilitation Training and Research (SVNIRTAR), Cuttack, Pt. DeenDayalUpadhayay Institute for Physically Handicapped (PDUIPH), New Delhi, National Institute for Empowerment of Persons with Multiple Disabilities (NIEPMD), Chennai implements certain schemes for the welfare of persons with disabilities.
(c) & (d) The Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD), Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has launched the National Action Plan (NAP) for skill training of Persons with Disabilities (PwDs), in collaboration with the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) on 21st March 2015. NAP sets a target of skilling 5 lakh PwDs in the first three years from 2015-16 to 2017-18.
In order to implement NAP, a panel of training Partners (ETPs) has been prepared comprising 167 organizations including 14 Govt. Organizations and 153 Voluntary Organizations (VOs). Apart from these ETPs, skilling of PwDs is also being done through 7 National Institutes (NIs), National Handicapped Finance and Development Corporation (NHFDC) - a PSU under DEPwD, 21 Vocational Rehabilitation Centres for Handicapped (VRCHs) under Ministry of Labour & Employment and Vocational Training Centres (VTCs) run by VOs as a part of Deendayal Disabled Rehabilitation Scheme (DDRS).
Further, in order to create a common platform for the employers and the employment-seekers who are differently abled and trained for jobs, a job portal (www.disabilityjobs.gov.in) has been launched on 27.1.2016 for facilitating skilled persons with disabilities with suitable job placement, self-employment loan, education loan, free of cost skill up-gradation etc.
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