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Introduction:

The department for welfare of disabled and senior citizens is mandated to implement acts and rules pertaining to Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) and Senior Citizens, such as Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act, 2016, National Trust Act, 1999, RCI Act, 1992 and Maintenance & Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007. The department strives to enable the PwDs & Senior Citizens to lead an independent and dignified life through various programmes. During the financial year 2020-21, an amount of Rs.36.92 Crores was allocated to the department.

Telangana Vikalangula Co-operative Corporation (TVCC), a subsidiary of the department has 2 Training cum Production Center, 5 Prosthetics manufacturing centers and a Braille Press.

Welfare & Development of Persons with Disabilities (PwDs)

The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act 2016 has broadened the scope for equal opportunities, protection of rights and full participation of 21 categories of disabilities in the society, acknowledging their potential to lead an independent and dignified life. Few key activities/programs of the department are listed below:

Promoting Education:

  • In the financial year 2020-21 Rs. 1.00 Crore is allocated for Pre-Metric and Post-Metric Scholarships.
  • Through five residential schools (3 for Hearing Impaired & 2 for Visually Challenged), free special education, boarding, and lodging facilities are provided to 537 students.
  • Through 20 Homes & Hostels, 1882 Persons (with locomotor disability and visual disability) are provided free boarding and lodging facilities to enable them to pursue their higher education and prepare for various competitive examinations.
  • 56 special schools are functioning through Civil Society Organizations (CSOs).

    • Promoting Livelihoods:

  • For filling up of backlog vacancies reserved for PwDs, Special Recruitment Drive (SRD) is going on in the State.
  • An amount of Rs1.00 Crore is allocated for skill development and nearly 350 PwDs will be benefited from this program.
  • Economic Rehabilitation Scheme: For promoting self-employment, subsidized loans (from Rs.50,000/- to Rs.3 Lakhs) are offered for the establishment of business units. Rs.5.5 Crores is allotted which will benefit 756 PwDs.

    • Promoting Accessibility:

  • Assistive Aids & Appliances: Rs.20.00 Crores is allotted from the budget allocated during the years 2019-20 and 2020-21 for free distribution of aids & appliances. A total of 14,823 PwDs will get benefitted.
  • Six government buildings were made barrier-free for easy access to PwDs with a cost of Rs.1.05 Crores. Further, accessibility audit is conducted in 111 Government buildings to make them barrier-free.
  • Universal Disability Identity (UDID) Cards: 4,77,106 UDID Cards received from GoI are dispatched to districts for distribution to PwDs. The cards will promote transparency, efficiency, and ease of delivering government benefits to PwDs ensuring homogeneity across states.

    • Measures taken to protect the rights of PwDs:

  • The Office of the State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities plays a crucial role in grievance redressal and monitoring the effective implementation of RPwD Act 2016. Constituted District level Committees under the Chairmanship of District Collector for effective implementation of RPwD Act.
  • Constituted of Medical Boards/Certifying authority for certification of all the 21 disabilities mentioned in RPwD Act, 2016.
  • Notified Special Sessions Courts for trial of cases against the offences filed under the RPwD Act, 2016.
  • Enhanced the reservation from 3% to 5% in all poverty alleviation, Welfare and various developmental schemes/programs for the PwDs with priority to Women with benchmark disabilities.
  • Constituted Expert Committee for identification of posts for PwDs in direct recruitment. Issued orders for 4% reservation in direct recruitment for PwDs in all Government establishments.
  • Expert Committee is constituted to study the disability-specific requirements of the persons with high support needs.
  • Conducting regular sensitization programs about RPwD Act to various stakeholders.
  • State Fund for PwDs is created to meet the critical needs of PwDs which are not covered in any existing program. This fund is used to support PwDs during Covid-19 pandemic period.

    • Others:

  • Marriage Incentive Awards: To mainstream the PwDs, a cash incentive of Rs.1,00,000/- is given to either of the spouse having a disability if a normal person marries a disabled person. Rs 4.00 Crores is allocated this year to benefit 400 PwDs.
  • Promoting Sports, Culture & Achievements: Persons who excelled in different fields are felicitated and sports & cultural competitions are conducted while celebrating events like Disabilities day, Louis Braille birthday etc.
  • Good Governance: For improving ease of accessing government schemes and bringing transparency & accountability, benefits of all the schemes are provided through Online Beneficiary Management and Monitoring System (OBMMS).

    • Special Measures taken during COVID-19 Lockdown Period:

  • Toll-free Helpline (1800-572-8980) is launched for PwDs to know their special needs and quickly respond.
  • Based on the request received from the needy PwDs, either from helpline or another source, travel passes for medical care, door step delivery of essential items etc. are arranged.
  • Covid-19 IEC material is designed in accessible formats & widely promoted.
  • To ensure accessibility at Covid-19 care centres, funds are released to the districts.
  • To ensure uninterrupted education, mobile smart phones were provided to 350 students of class VIII to X. Internet service expenditure was also provided.
  • A separate isolation ward with caregiver facility is established at Government Ayurvedic Hospital, Hyderabad.