Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment

(YEAR END REVIEW-2014 of Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities) Launch of Modern AIDS and Assistive Devices & Commencement of New Schemes

The Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment (Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disability) is entrusted with the empowerment of the Persons with Disabilities.  The main activity of the Department are: 1.      Scheme of Assistance to Disabled Persons for Purchase/Fitting of Aids/Appliances (ADIP) Scheme Under the ADIP Scheme, grant-in-aid is released to various implementing agencies (National Institutes/ Composite Regional Centres/Artificial Limbs Manufacturing Corporation of India(ALIMCO)/District Disability Rehabilitation Centres/State Handicapped Development Corporations/other local bodies/ NGOs) to assist the needy disabled persons in procuring durable, sophisticated and scientifically manufactured, modern, standard aids and appliances to promote  physical, social and psychological rehabilitation of Persons with Disabilities by reducing the effects of disabilities and at the same time enhance their economic potential.   Revision of ADIP Scheme The ADIP scheme has been revised w.e.f. 1.4.2014. The salient features of the revised ADIP Scheme are as indicated below:-  (i)                 Enhancement of income eligibility ceiling for 100% concession from the existing Rs. 6,500/- per month to Rs. 15,000/- per month and for a 50% concession from Rs. 15001/- to Rs. 20,000/- per month. (ii)        To provide accessible mobile phone to visually impaired students of the age of 18 years and above only, once in five years and to provide laptop, Braille Note Taker and Brailler to school going disabled students (10th and above), once in 10 years. (iii)       Cost ceiling for aids/appliances revised from Rs. 6000/- to Rs. 10,000/- for single disability and from Rs. 8,000/- to Rs. 12,000/- for Students with Disabilities. (iv)       Ceiling of cost of medical/surgical correction which presently ranges from Rs. 500/- to Rs. 3,000/- revised as under:- (a)                From Rs.500/- to Rs.1,000/- for hearing and speech impaired. (b)               From Rs.1,000/- to Rs.2,000/- for visually disabled. (c)                From Rs.3,000/- to Rs.5,000/- for orthopedically disabled.  (v)        Enhancing  the extent of subsidy for motorized tricycles and wheelchairs from the present Rs. 6,000/- to Rs. 25,000/- for severely disabled and for locomotor disabilities such as Quadriplegic (SCI), Muscular Dystrophy, Stroke, Cerebral Palsy, Hemiplegia and any other person with similar conditions where either three/four limbs or one half of the body are severely impaired.  This will be provided to the persons of age of 18 years and above, once in 10 years. vi)        Provision for cochlear implant for 500 children per year with Hearing disability under the scheme, with a ceiling of Rs. 6.00 lakh per unit.   Income ceiling for the beneficiaries will be the same i.e., up to Rs. 15,000/- per month for 100% concession and from    Rs. 15001/- to Rs. 20,000/- per month for  50% concession. vii)       Implementing agencies shall use 5% of the grant-in-aid as administrative/overhead expenses for conducting awareness, assessment and follow-up camps. The Budget Allocation for the year 2014-15 is Rs. 110.00 crore. 2.                  Scheme for Implementation of Persons with Disabilities Act, 1995 (SIPDA) i)                    Financial assistance is provided under the Scheme to State Govt. and institutions/organisations run by the Central and State Governments for various activities for implementation of Persons with Disabilities Act, mainly for providing barrier free environment in Universities, Public Buildings, State Government Secretariat, office of State Commissioner for Disabilities etc.,  to make Government websites at the State and District levels accessible to PwDs, to establish early diagnostic and intervention centres at District Headquarters/other places having Government Medical Colleges, Skill development programmes for PwDs, construction of special recreation centres for PwDs where the appropriate Governments/local authorities have their own land.  The Budget Allocation for the year 2014-15 is Rs. 80.00 crore.  3.                  Setting up of National Institute for Inclusive and Universal Design Ministry propose to establish National Institute for Inclusive and Universal Design on the Inclusive Agenda of Universal Design which will focus on Environmental access by everyone, though assigning higher importance to access by people with Disabilities 4.                  Setting up of Indian Sign Language Research & Training Centre(ISLRTC) v  Ministry proposes to set up Indian Sign Language Research & Training Centre (ISLRTC) under the aegis of Department of Disability Affairs. v  The Institute will lead the way in academic development, training and propagation of Indian Sign Language. 5.                  State Spinal Injury Centres v Department is in process of formulation of a Scheme of setting up of State Spinal Injury Centre for which an outlay of Rs. 20 crore has been earmarked under the 12th Five Year Plan. v The focus of the State Spinal Injury Centres shall be mainly on the comprehensive management of Spinal Injuries.  6.         Establishment of Centre for Disability Sports v  Centre for Disability Sports is proposed to be established for which Rs. 20.00 crore is earmarked for 12th Plan period. v  Action has been initiated to engage a consultant for preparation of Detailed Project Report. v  Ministry also proposes to establish Regional Centres. 7.                  Directory of Aids & Assistive Devices The Department in collaboration with TIFAC, an autonomous body of the Department of Science and Technology, initiated a web portal for meeting the accessible needs relating  to aids and appliances for persons with disabilities.  The web portal has been launched by the Hon’ble President on 3rd December 2014. 8.                  Rights of Persons with Disabilities The Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act, 1995 has been in force for over 17 years. In order to harmonize the provisions of this Act in Line with the United Nation Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), the Act has been reviewed and a new Bill namely Rights of Persons with Disabilities Bill, 2013 was finalized after extensive consultations with the Central Ministries/Departments, State Governments/UTs and various stakeholders. Accordingly, the Department moved a Cabinet Note on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Bill, 2013 to replace the existing Persons with Disabilities Act, 1995 on 11.12.2013. The Union Cabinet in its meeting held on 12.12.2013 approved the RPwD Bill. Subsequently, the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Bill, 2014 was introduced in the Rajya Sabha on 6th February 2014 and it was referred to Department Related Parliamentary Standing Committee for examination. The Parliamentary Standing Committee. 9.                  International Cooperation UNESCO organised an International Conference " From Exclusion to Empowerment: The Role of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) for Persons with Disabilities) in New Delhi from 24th - 26th  November, 2014 in association with this Department and Ministry of Human Resource Development. The Conference deliberated on various key issues such as challenges faced by persons with disabilities to access information and knowledge, technological solutions available to provide equitable access etc. The Department supported the conference not only from logistical point of view but also in the form of participation in exhibition, chairing/participating in different session of the conference 10.              District Disability Rehabilitation Centres (DDRCs)             To create infrastructure and capacity building at District level for providing comprehensive rehabilitation services to the persons with disabilities at the grass root level and for facilitating at the district level for awareness generation, training rehabilitation professionals theMinistry provides assistance for setting up District Disability Rehabilitation Centres (DDRCs)  in underserved districts of the country.  Until March, 2010, 199 DDRCs have been sanctioned.  Out of this 185 such DDRCs are functional as on date.             In the budget speech of the Finance Minister for 2010-11, it was announced that 100 new DDRCs would be opened during the remaining period of XI Five Year Plan.  Accordingly 100 under-served districts in 20 States were identified and concerned State Governments requested to send proposals for setting up new DDRCs.              The National Programme for prevention and control of Japanese Encephalitis (JE)/Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) in the country prepared by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare covers 60 priority districts of 5 States and inter alia approved setting up of 15 new DDRCs in the remaining high priority districts of 4 States.   Out of 15 new DDRCs 11 have been set up.  As on date 247 DDRCs have been set up.  11.              Main activities of National Institutes o Foundation stone laying of a building of Special Education and Disability Studies in premises of National Institute for the Visually Handicapped on 14.11.2014. o Foundation stone laying of a  New Girls Hostel in the National Institute for Rehabilitation Training & Research (NIRTAR), Cuttack (Odisha) on 25.08.2014 v  Foundation stone laying for Hydrotherapy pool and athletic track was held on 26.9.2014 at National Institute for Empowerment of Person with Multiple Disabilities, Chennai. v  Inauguration of 150 bed girls hostel at a cost of Rs.4.70 crores at SVNIRTAR, Cuttak on 25.08.2014 v  Foundation stone laying of new building of Rehabilitation  Centre (RC) at o Srinagar on 18.06.2014 at a cost of Rs.3.00 crore. v  Inauguration of Academic Block at National Institute for Mentally Handicapped (NIMH), Secunderabad at a cost of Rs.5.00 crore on 13.06.2014. v  Foundation Stone laying of Sensory park at NIMH, Secunderabad at a cost of Rs.15.00 lakh on 13.06.2014. v  Modernization of 10 existing and establishment of 15 new Braille Presses to augment production of Braille pages. v  A total of 2252 PwDs have been imparted vocational training through the o NHFDC and the National Institutes under the Department. v  National Institute for the Visually Handicapped, Dehradun successfully o accomplished the task of publishing “Doctor Baba Saheb Ambedkar: Writing and Speeches” in Braille assigned by Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment on 29.10.2014 in a function organized to release the four volumes of the series by the Hon’ble Cabinet Minister, Mr. Thawar Chand Gehlot, Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment. v  Department of Disabilities Affairs has approved the Dynamic Assured Career Progression Scheme (DACP) for the Medical Doctors working in the National Institutes. The implementation of the DACP Scheme will take effect from 21.10.2008. v  All National Institutes have been implementing Swatch Bharat Mission launched by Hon’ble Prime Minister on 2.10.2014 v  National Institute for Empowerment of Person with Multiple Disabilities, Chennai released book on Deaf Blindness on 26.9.2014 v  Hon’ble Minister inaugurated Disabled Friendly Website of SVNIRTAR in the National Institute for Rehabilitation Training & Research (NIRTAR), Cuttack (Odhisa) on 25.08.2014. v  National Institute for the Visually Handicapped, Dehradun has organized two Job Fairs – one at Sundernagar in Himachal Pradesh on 21.05.2014 and another at Dehradun in Uttrakhand on 28.06.2014. In this Job Fairs ten Private Companies participated. A total of 455 persons with Disabilities participated in the Job Fair and 74 persons with Disabilities got job with the Participating Companies. v  National Institute for the Visually Handicapped, Dehradun had developed Braille Course for Nepali, Garo and Khasi Languages under the North East Project. v  Pt. Deendayal Upadhayay Institue for the Physically Handicapped, New Delhi organized a job fair in collaboration with Sarthak, a Delhi based NGO on 19.6.2014 with a dual objective of sensitizing professionals about the capabilities of Persons with Disabilities and short listing eligible/potential persons with Disabilities for suitable placements. v  Prime Minister Skill Development Programme being implemented through 50 NGOs across country by National Institute for Empowerment of Person with Multiple Disabilities, Chennai. v  The Ministry in collaboration with UNESCO through its National Institute for Empowerment of Persons with Multiple Disabilities, Chennai organized the International Conference on Role of ICT for Persons with Disabilities and Screening of Films related to Disability  at Vigyan Bhawan,N. Delhi from 24th –26th November, 2014. v  Hon’ble Minister SJ&E inaugurated the two days International Conference on Multiple Disabilities organized by National Institute for Empowerment of Persons with Multiple Disabilities, Chennai held at Vigyan Bhawan on 29.10.2014. Representatives of United Kingdom, Russia, United States of America, South Africa and Brazil  participated. v  A three day National Conference is proposed to be organized in the Month of January, 2015 for the North-Eastern States on “Cross Disability Management”,by Rehabilitation Council of India. ·         Swami Vivekanand National Institute for Rehabilitation Training and Research,(SVNIRTAR), Cuttack has initiated action to modernize the existing Operation Theatre to Modular Operation Theatre under Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funding from REC. ·         Skill development for 15000 PwDs have been targeted under vocational training to be conducted by NHFDC and National Institutes. 12.       Deendayal Disabled Rehabilitation Scheme (DDRS) The Department of Disability Affairs is implementing a flagship Scheme, namely, Deendayal Disabled Rehabilitation Scheme (DDRS) under which this Department has been providing grant-in-aid to non-governmental organizations (NGOs)   for projects relating to rehabilitation of persons with disabilities including Vocational Training aimed at enabling persons with disabilities to reach and maintain their optimal, physical, sensory, intellectual, psychiatric or social functional levels. There are 18 model projects under the Scheme. There are 66 manpower categories comprising 48 technical, 4 technical (part-time), and 14 non-technical categories. Following programmes are funded (upto 90% of the project cost) under DDRS for providing a wide range of services to children/persons with disability: (a) programmes for pre-school and early intervention (b) special education, (c) vocational training and placement  (d) community based rehabilitation  (e) manpower development  (f) psycho-social rehabilitation of persons with mental illness  (g) rehabilitation of leprosy-cured persons, etc. Under this Scheme in the year 2013-14 the total no. of Proposals sanctioned 978 for an amount of Rs. 63.64 crore. During the Current financial year 2014-15 a total of Rs. 27.05 crore has sanctioned as on 23.12.2014. 13.       Scholarship Schemes of the Department During the year 2014, the following three new scholarship schemes have been launched by Department of Disability Affairs for the benefit of the students with disabilities: 1)        National Overseas Scholarship for Students with Disabilities, 2)        & 3) Pre-Matric Scholarship and Post-Matric Scholarship for Students with Disabilities, The brief features of the schemes are given below: (1) National Overseas Scholarship for Students with Disabilities                         The scheme of National Overseas Scholarship for Students with Disabilities has been launched with the objectives of  providing  financial assistance to the students with disabilities for pursuing studies abroad at the level of Masters’ Degree and Ph.D. Twenty (20) scholarships are to be awarded every year out of which six are reserved for women candidates. The scholarship amount includes Maintenance Allowance, Contingency Allowance, Tuition Fees, and Cost of Air Passage etc. In addition to the above, there is a provision of “Passage Grants” to two Students with Disabilities every year.  Only those Students with Disabilities  who are in receipt of a merit scholarship for Post GraduateStudies, Research or Training abroad (excluding attending seminars, workshops, conferences), from aforeign government/ organization or under any other scheme, where the cost of passage is not provided,shall be eligible. The Passage Grant includes to-and-fro air-fare from home-station to the Institute abroad by economy class through Air India. Applications have been called for and the process of selection is under way.  (2)&(3) Pre-Matric Scholarship and Post-Matric Scholarship for Students with Disabilities This scheme has been launched by the Department of Disability Affairs in October, 2014. The objectives of the schemes are to provide financial assistance to the parents of students with disabilities for studying in the pre-matric level and post-matric level. The financial assistance includes scholarship, book grant, escort/reader allowance, etc. Number of scholarships to be granted every year is 46,000 for pre-matric level and 16,650 for post-matric level. Selection of the beneficiaries under these two scholarship schemes is on the basis of merit after the recommendation of the Governments of State or Union Territories.  These schemes will be implemented on-line basis through a web-portal which is yet to be ready. The web portal is being prepared by NIC and Deptt. of Electronics & Information Technology. 14.       Awareness Generation & Publicity Scheme  This scheme has been launched in September, 2014 and is operational from the current Financial Year 2014-15 onward. The scheme aims to give publicity to the schemes/programmes of the Government through electronic, print, film media etc., educate the PwDs and civil society about legal rights of PwDs, sensitize the employers on special needs of PwDs, promote awareness and sensitize society on causes leading to disability  etc.  2.         (A)   The following types of organization are eligible :- (i)       Self-help groups (ii)      Advocacy and self-advocacy organizations. (iii)     Parents & Community Organizations working for  mobilization and bring about change in social attitude (iv)     Psychological and emotional support service (v)      Community based rehabilitation organizations (vi)     Organizations working for stress management and social isolation eradication (vii)    Organizations working for labour market programmes,    vocational training, social insurance, providing support services to PwDs.             (B)     Organization seeking grant should be a not for profit organization with 3 years standing as a society or a Public Trust and with good track record. 3.       The quantum of financial assistance and the content may be considered by the committee constituting of the following  (i) Joint Secretary (Awareness Generation & Publicity), Department of Disability Affairs(DDA) (ii)  Representative of Integrated Finance Division(DDA) (iii) Representative of DAVP (iv) A special invitee from amongst PwDs / representative groups/ organizations working in the field of disability (v)  Director / DS (Awareness Generation & Publicity) 4.         Components admissible for assistance under the scheme includes setting up of a help line for online counselling of the PwDs, content development, publications and new media, organizing national events, participation in the international initiatives or to support various schemes organized by NGOs or self-help groups, volunteer service / outreach programme for sensitizing commercial establishment and employers, recreation and tourism, participation in community radio, media activities.  5.         The budgetary provision during XII Five Year Plan for the scheme is  Rs. 50 crore. During current Financial Year, the budgetary provision under the Scheme is Rs. 3.00 crore.  So far, two meetings of the  Committee  for Grants under Awareness Generation and Publicity Scheme have been held where 43 proposals  have been considered under the scheme