PARLIAMENT QUESTION: EMPOWERING DISABLED PERSONS
The Government enacted Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act, 2016 which came into force on 19.04.2017. The number of disabilities has been increased from 7 to 21. The said Act provides rights and entitlements to PwDs, which, inter-alia, include right to equality, nondiscrimination, protection from cruelty, exploitation, right to live with family and community, access to justice, accessibility in voting, legal capacity, legal guardianship, health, education, employment, skill development, arts, sports, recreation, culture and participation in decision making process. Section 34 of the said Act provides for 4 % reservation in the government employment to the persons with benchmark (40% or above) disabilities. Further, Section 32 of the said Act provides 5% reservation in government or government aided higher educational institutions for persons with benchmark disabilities. Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities implements the National Action Plan for Skill Development of Persons with Disabilities (NAP-SDP). This scheme was launched in March, 2015. Training under the scheme is provided through various Government and Non-Government Organizations, empanelled as training partners (ETPs) with the Department. The main objective of the scheme is to enhance skills of Persons with Disabilities; provisioning of quality vocational Skill Training to Divyangjans to enable them to have gainful employment and to become self-reliant and productive. Under the NAP-SDP scheme, skill training is provided to the persons with disability through the Government and Non-Government Organizations, across the country. Since the launch of the scheme, Department has provided the skill training to 1.42 lakh PwDs at a cost of Rs. 147.78 crore. Out of these PwDs, 28000 have been placed in wage-employment/self-employment. It is demand-driven scheme and funds are released to empanelled training partner based on their proposal. The Department has requested State Skill Development Mission (SSDM) of all States/UTs, including Uttar Pradesh, to encourage conducting skill training for PwDs. Although relief to the disabled is a State subject by virtue of entry 9 of the State List of the Constitution of India, the Central Government supplements the efforts of the State Governments through its following major schemes: (a) Creation of Barrier Free Environment for PwDs (b) National Action Plan for Skill Development (c) Accessible India Campaign (AIC) (d) Unique Disability Identity Card (e) Awareness Generation and Publicity Scheme This information was provided by UNION MINISTER OF STATE FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT, SHRI B.L. VERMA, in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha today. ***** VM The Government enacted Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act, 2016 which came into force on 19.04.2017. The number of disabilities has been increased from 7 to 21. The said Act provides rights and entitlements to PwDs, which, inter-alia, include right to equality, nondiscrimination, protection from cruelty, exploitation, right to live with family and community, access to justice, accessibility in voting, legal capacity, legal guardianship, health, education, employment, skill development, arts, sports, recreation, culture and participation in decision making process. Section 34 of the said Act provides for 4 % reservation in the government employment to the persons with benchmark (40% or above) disabilities. Further, Section 32 of the said Act provides 5% reservation in government or government aided higher educational institutions for persons with benchmark disabilities. Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities implements the National Action Plan for Skill Development of Persons with Disabilities (NAP-SDP). This scheme was launched in March, 2015. Training under the scheme is provided through various Government and Non-Government Organizations, empanelled as training partners (ETPs) with the Department. The main objective of the scheme is to enhance skills of Persons with Disabilities; provisioning of quality vocational Skill Training to Divyangjans to enable them to have gainful employment and to become self-reliant and productive. Under the NAP-SDP scheme, skill training is provided to the persons with disability through the Government and Non-Government Organizations, across the country. Since the launch of the scheme, Department has provided the skill training to 1.42 lakh PwDs at a cost of Rs. 147.78 crore. Out of these PwDs, 28000 have been placed in wage-employment/self-employment. It is demand-driven scheme and funds are released to empanelled training partner based on their proposal. The Department has requested State Skill Development Mission (SSDM) of all States/UTs, including Uttar Pradesh, to encourage conducting skill training for PwDs. Although relief to the disabled is a State subject by virtue of entry 9 of the State List of the Constitution of India, the Central Government supplements the efforts of the State Governments through its following major schemes: (a) Creation of Barrier Free Environment for PwDs (b) National Action Plan for Skill Development (c) Accessible India Campaign (AIC) (d) Unique Disability Identity Card (e) Awareness Generation and Publicity Scheme This information was provided by UNION MINISTER OF STATE FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT, SHRI B.L. VERMA, in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha today. ***** VM