“Swavlamban” - The Mantra for Inclusion of Persons with
Disabilities
The Department
of Disability Affairs was created in the Ministry of Social Justice and
Empowerment on May 12,2012 to ensure greater focus on policy matters to
effectively address disability issues and to act as a nodal Department
for greater coordination among stakeholders, organizations, State
Governments and related Central Ministries. According to the Notification
dated December9, 2014 the Department has been renamed as Department of Empowerment
of Persons with Disabilities.
The Department
envisions an inclusive society where equal opportunities are provided for the growth
and development of persons with disabilities to lead a productive, safe and
dignified life. To this end the Department strives to create an
accessible barrier free environment for PwDs and also for their empowerment
through legislation, policies, programmes and schemes. Financial
assistance for creating a barrier free environment under SIPDA Scheme;
Financial assistance for purchase of aids and appliances for PwDs under ADIP
Scheme; Physical rehabilitation: Services like early detection and
intervention, counseling and medical rehabilitation, Research and Development
for technological advancement; Educational empowerment; Social empowerment;
Development of rehabilitation professionals/personnel; Advocacy and
awareness generation are steps taken in this direction.
Shri Pranab
Mukherjee, President of India during his address on the occasion of
International Day for the Disabled Persons on 3rd December,
2014 had said that education was one of the key instruments for empowering
Persons with Disabilities. The President further added that children with
disabilities should have access to educational opportunities that will enable
them to equally compete for gainful employment and lead a life of dignity.
Shri Narendra
Modi, Prime Minister of India, in his message has saluted the indomitable
spirit of those with disability and had urged the people to work together to
create a better world for them. “Let us all work together to create a
world where Persons with Disabilities can scale new heights of success without
any obstacles,” the Prime Minister tweeted from his personal account. On
the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, he saluted persons with
disabilities and hailed them as “heroes”. Today is a day to pledge our
commitment towards our unwavering support to Persons with Disabilities and
ensuring equal opportunities for them.
The
Secretary-General of United Nations, Mr. Ban Ki-moon has called for efforts to
ensure that the technology of the 21st century is accessible to
Persons with Disabilities so that critical information can reach
them.
Shri Thaawar
Chand Gehlot Minister of Social Justice & Empowerment has been steering the
Department with immense vigour under the overall leadership of the Prime
Minister to realize the goal of inclusion of PwDs in the mainstream development
process under the “Sabke Saath Sabka Vikas” mission of the Government.
It is estimated
that there are one billion people with disabilities worldwide who face
many barriers in order to participate in all aspects of society and the
population of PwDs in India as per Census 2011 is around 2.68 crore
(2.2% of total population). The result is that People with Disabilities
do not enjoy access to society on an equal basis with others, including
transportation, employment, education, justice and political
participation. The right to participate in public life is essential to
create democracies and citizenship. Yet, this fundamental right is very
often denied to Persons with Disabilities. The United Nations Convention
on the rights of Persons with Disabilities requires all states parties to
promote and protect the political rights of all Persons with Disabilities.
Realizing the
need for empowerment, both social and economic, of PwDs, the Department has
adopted a multi-pronged strategy to take forward and step up the Rehabilitation
and Development related issues for PwDs.
Education of
PwDs is one of
the recent initiatives undertaken - Literacy and higher
education level of PwDs is very low. Several schemes have been approved for
enabling Students with Disabilities to acquire education and further their
employability potential.
New schemes
“Pre-Matric
Scholarship and Post-Matric Scholarship for Students with Disabilities
(SwD)” was launched. Under the Pre-Matric Scholarship, 46,000 students studying
in class IX and X will be awarded scholarship every year (@ Rs.10000/- per SwD
p.a.). Under the Post-Matric Scholarship 16,650 disabled students studying in
class XI, XII onwards will be provided scholarship annually (@Rs.15000/- per
SwD p.a.).
National
Overseas Scholarship Scheme for SwDs at a total outlay of Rs.10.00
crores benefitting 60 students per annum @ Rs.13.00 lakh per annum to enable
SwD to pursue higher education at the level of Masters Degree or Ph.D abroad
has been implemented from the current financial year 2014-15. Applications have
been invited.
Under the
“Rajiv Gandhi National Fellowship for Students with disabilities”, applications
have been invited for the year 2014-15. Selection is being done by University
Grants Commission. UGC is in the process of selecting 300 candidates for the
fellowship.
Flagship scheme
of the Department
Deendayal
Disabled Rehabilitation Scheme (DDRS) and ADIP, the Department has introduced a
centralized on-line application system developed by NIC on the website
www.ngograntsje.gov.in in the month of July 2014.
The revised
ADIP Scheme has been operationalised. The salient features of the schemes are-
Enhancement of cost ceiling; revised from Rs.6000/- to Rs.10000/- for single
disability and from Rs.8000/- to Rs.12000/- for SwDs; Enhancement of income
eligibility ceiling for 100% concession from Rs.6500/- per month to Rs, 15000/-
per month and for a 50% concession from Rs.15000/- to Rs.20000/- per month.
Under the
Scheme of Assistance to Disabled persons for purchase / fitting of aids &
appliances (ADIP), the Department has introduced a centralized on-line
application system developed by NIC on the website www.ngograntsje.gov.in in
the month of July 2014. Revised ADIP Scheme contains a provision to
provide Cochlear Implant to 500 children per year, with a ceiling of Rs.
6.00 lakh per unit to be borne by the Government. The Minister of Social
Justice & Empowerment has announced the commencement of First Cochlear
Implant by AYJNIHH, Mumbai on International Day for the Persons with Disability
on 3rd December 2014.
The Department in collaboration with TIFAC, an autonomous body of the
Dept of Science & Technology, has launched a dedicated web portal for
meeting the accessible needs relating to aids & appliances for persons with
disabilities. The web portal was launched by the President of India on
International Day for the Persons with Disability on 3rd December
2014. Swavlamban Composite camps – 200 Composite 'ABILITY-
SWAWLAMBAN'. Camps are being organized all over the Country.
The first batch of "motorized tricycles" has been distributed
to 20 beneficiaries on 25.09.2014 at Shajapur, Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh.
The Prime
Minister of India and the Union Minister of SJ&E felicitated the
winners of Blind Cricket World Cup and announced a cash Award of
Rs. two Lakhs to each player of the winning Team representing
India.
The Ministry is
establishing Centres for Disabilities Sports to develop and encourage disabled
sports persons.
A new “Scheme
on Awareness Generations and Publicity” has been launched in the current
financial year 2014-15 for creating enabling environment for social inclusion
of the PwDs in all fields of life by promoting awareness, encouraging
volunteer action, financially supporting national/international events and
accomplishments, etc. for the realization of the aspirations of PwDs.
Future Plans
and New Initiatives on Good Governance:
"Accessible
India campaign (Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan)" is proposed to be
launched for the empowerment of persons with disabilities through
universal accessibility for creating an enabling environment for
the PwDs to live an independent life with dignity and equal
opportunity.
In order to
facilitate PwDs, process of equipping them with Universal ID has
been initiated and the detailed project report (DPR) has been
prepared. These will be smart cards containing information regarding the
disabilities etc. and will be valid across the country.
A “Job portal
for the PwDs” for facilitating employment of PwDs is being developed for the
sector through National Handicapped Finance Development Corporation
(NHFDC). This will aggregate various jobs availability for PwDs in
Government/PSUs and private sector and facilitate placement and
employment of unemployed, skilled and semi-skilled PwDs.
A toll-free
“Help Desk/Help Centre” is being developed by the Department
through Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) for dissemination of
information relating to PwDs, tracking and handling of grievances,
facilitating the aspirations and needs of PwDs such as skilling/
employment, etc.
The Department
in collaboration with Ministry of Skill and Entrepreneurship Development
and National Skill Development Council (NSDC) is preparing a
comprehensive Strategy and Action Plan for upscaling the skilling needs
of the PwDs and their placement/employment with active involvement of various
stakeholders and different Departments mandated with skilling and
employment generation.
An exclusive
“National Level Mega Fair” for exhibition and sale of various products/goods
being manufactured by PwDs and their organizations from all over the country
will be organized in Delhi to provide enhanced exposure and market
linkage/access for their products.
The Department
is formulating a scheme of “Scholarship for Top Class Education for
Students with Disabilities” for Post Graduate Degree/Diploma in specified
premier Institutions of Excellence in India
Scheme for
“Free Coaching for Students with Disabilities” for competitive
Examinations in Government Jobs or for Admission in Professional and Technical
Courses” is also being formulated.
First ever
National Para –games are scheduled to be organized in New Delhi in
association with the Paralympic Committee of India, in the month of March
2015.
Skill
development for 15000 PwDs has been targeted under vocational training
to be conducted by NHFDC and National Institutes.
A new
interactive, informative and disability friendly dedicated website of the
Department is being developed and will be launched in the current financial
year.
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