National Resource Kit: The Uttarakhand Chapter (Call for Comments)
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Accessibility
Anandhi Viswanathan
31 July 2013
Executive Summary
Uttarakhand is yet to enact any specific legislation for persons with disabilities. The state currently implements certain social security schemes and provides scholarships for students with disabilities.
State Profile
- Capital: Dehradun
- Population: 10,116,752
- Population of Persons with Disabilities: 1, 94, 769 (2001 Census)
- Literacy: 79.63%
- HDI: 0.515 Rank: 7th[1]
- Department: Social Welfare Department
- Directorate: Directorate of Social Welfare
Legal Provisions
The government of Uttarakhand has not enacted any legislation specifically for persons with disabilities. The state has implemented some social protection initiatives and schemes for education. These are listed categorically as below:
Education
Students with disabilities or students whose guardians are persons with disabilities and whose monthly income does not exceed Rs. 2000 are eligible to receive scholarships.
Scholarships are provided from class 1 to post-graduate level education as per the below mentioned rates and standards:
| Category | Standard for Scholarship | Period (Maximum) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Handicapped Student |
Class | Rate Per Month | Limit of Income of Parents | |
| 1 – 5 | Rs. 50/- | Maximum Rs.2000/- per month | 12 months | |
| 6 – 8 | Rs. 80/- | Maximum Rs.2000/- per month | 12 months | |
| 9 – 10 | Rs. 170/- | Maximum Rs.2000/- per month | 12 months | |
| Standard for Scholarship | Rate Per Month | Limit of Annual Income of Parents | Period (Maximum) | |
| Hosteller | Day Scholar | Maximum upto Rs.24,000/- per year | From the date of admission to the month of examination of the last year. (If the admission is taken after the 20th day of the month than the scholarship will be applicable from following month). | |
| Inter | Rs.140/- | Rs. 85/- | ||
| Graduation | Rs.180/- | Rs. 125/- | ||
| Post Graduation and other Vocational Course | Rs.240/- | Rs.170/- | ||
Social ProtectionThe government of Uttarakhand provides a maintenance grant to destitute persons with disabilities at the rate of Rs. 600 per month. Disabled persons eligible for this pension should either belong to the BPL category or persons whose monthly income does not exceed Rs. 1000. Persons with disabilities in the age group of 18 to 65 years with 80 per cent or more disability or who have multiple disabilities and are below the poverty line are eligible to receive a grant of Rs. 400 from the state government and Rs. 200 from the Government of India under the National Disability Pension Scheme. Persons with disabilities who are leprosy cured are eligible for a grant of Rs. 1000 per month. Persons with disabilities applying for the grant should at least have 40 per cent of disability as certified by the concerned Chief Medical Officer. He / she should not have any other source of income. Those applicants whose sons / grandsons are below 20 years of age and who live below the poverty line are eligible to apply for the grant.
The government has brought out a scheme that honours employees for achievements with state level awards for the best employee in case of employees with disabilities and persons with disabilities who are self employed. Other categories include best employer and placement officers. The government provides a cash award of Rs. 500 along with a letter of appreciation by the Department of Social Welfare.
The state provides marriage grants for persons with disabilities provided that the couple are citizens of India and are domiciled in Uttarakhand or have been residing in the state for five or more years and provided that neither the bride nor the groom have been convicted in any criminal case. Rs. 11,000 is given as a grant when the bridegroom is disabled and a grant of Rs. 14,000 is given in cases where either the bride or both bride and groom are disabled.The government of Uttarakhand has introduced a shop construction rehabilitation scheme wherein those persons with disabilities who have their own land will be provided a loan of Rs. 20,000 to set up their shop. The government provides Rs. 15,000 as loan at an interest of four per cent and the remaining Rs. 5000 is given as a grant.Persons with disabilities are eligible to travel free of cost on buses belonging to the State Road Transport Corporation.The Department of Social Welfare provides a maximum grant of Rs. 3500 to persons with disabilities for the purchase of artificial organ and hearing aid equipment. Persons with disabilities applying for this grant should not have a monthly income of more than 1000 Under the central ADIP scheme, persons with disabilities are provided grants to acquire artificial organs, aids and appliances through the implementing agencies / institutions. These are:
- Narayan Sewa Sansthan Trust, Sewadham Sewanagar, Hiran Magari, Sector-4, Udaipur – 313040 – Rajasthan
- Bajaj Institute of Learning, 155, Rajpur Road, Dehradun
- National Institute for the Blind, 116, Rajpur Road, Dehradun.
The state government conducts camps and seminars for persons with disabilities to sanction their pensions. These camps are conducted near their village panchayats or judicial panchayats for the convenience of persons with disabilities.
[1].https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uttarakhand