10th PLAN ALLOCATION
DOUBLED FOR WELFARE OF DISABILED
There has been a quantum jump in
the budgetary allocation for the welfare of the persons with disabilities
during the 10th Plan. The allocation has been almost
doubled to Rs. 1446 crores as against a total expenditure of Rs.
742.41 crore in this sector during the 9th Plan. According
to the Annual Report of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment
for 2002-2003, the major thrust during the first year of the plan
(2002-2003) has been on establishment of 82 District Disability
Rehabilitation Centre and the Scholarship Scheme for the students
with disabilities pursuing professional and technical courses.
The Ministry proposes to set up more than 100 District Disability
Rehabilitation Centres for purpose of providing therapeutic services
to the disabled in various parts of the country.
The Ministry started
the National Scholarship Scheme for Persons with Disabilities
from the last financial year. 500 scholarships are to be awarded
each year to provide financial assistance to students with disabilities
for pursuing higher and technical education. The rate of scholarship
varies between Rs.1000 to Rs. 400 per month for pursuing Ph.D./M.Phil,
post-graduate and graduate level courses in addition to several
other benefits.
One of the important
programmes of the Ministry is to economically empower the persons
with the disability. This is done by financing of self-employment
ventures and assisting beneficiaries in upgradation of technical
and entrepreneurship skills for effective management of their
self- employment ventures. The National Handicapped Finance and
Development Corporation (NHFDC) has been providing since 1997
concessional loans to persons with 40 percent and above disability.
NHFDC operates through the state Chanelising Agencies (SCAs) nominated
by the respective State Governments. At present 24 SCAs are operational.
NHFDC is also financing small and tiny self-employment ventures
under Micro Credit Financing Scheme at a further concessional
rate of interest. Under it NGOs are provided loans upto Rs. 5
lakh which they in turn disburse to beneficiaries with a maximum
loan upto Rs.15, 000 per individual at 5% rate of interest. Self-help
groups are also provided assistance under the scheme. The Corporation
has so far disbursed over rupees fifty crores to more than 11,400
beneficiaries. During the last financial year 4,464 beneficiaries
were disbursed Rs. 18.41 crores by the NHFDC in 24 states.
The statewise performance
of NHFDC during 2002-03 has been as follows:
|
S.N. State
Sanction Disbursement Beneficiaries
( In
Lakhs) ( In Lakhs )
|
|
1
|
Andhra Pradesh
|
58.96
|
51.17
|
|
239
|
|
2.
|
Delhi
|
1.80
|
1.80
|
12
|
|
3.
|
Chandigarh
|
3.15
|
3.15
|
24
|
|
4.
|
Chattisgarh
|
53.35
|
15.26
|
32
|
|
5.
|
Goa
|
2.13
|
2.13
|
2
|
|
6.
|
Gujarat
|
58.93
|
88.93
|
195
|
|
7.
|
Harayana
|
222.74
|
235.29
|
533
|
|
8.
|
Himachal
Pradesh
|
41.45
|
49.49
|
74
|
|
9.
|
Jammu &
Kashmir
|
5.39
|
4.58
|
2
|
|
10.
|
Kerala
|
230.35
|
202.07
|
421
|
|
11.
|
Karnataka
|
111.79
|
106.33
|
501
|
|
12.
|
Lakshadweep
|
4.05
|
4.55
|
10
|
|
13
|
Madhya Pradesh
|
141.74
|
160.33
|
329
|
|
14.
|
Maharashtra
|
115.27
|
115.27
|
201
|
|
15.
|
Manipur
|
1.00
|
0.00
|
0
|
|
16.
|
Nagaland
|
113.62
|
113.62
|
241
|
|
17.
|
Orissa
|
172.57
|
213.89
|
428
|
|
18.
|
Pondicherry
|
114.19
|
149.28
|
279
|
|
19.
|
Punjab
|
3.00
|
3.00
|
20
|
|
20.
|
Rajasthan
|
164.65
|
163.75
|
296
|
|
21.
|
Tripura
|
0.76
|
18.99
|
53
|
|
22.
|
Tamil Nadu
|
31.27
|
32.16
|
246
|
|
23.
|
West Bengal
|
99.72
|
105.19
|
311
|
|
24.
|
Uttar Pradesh
|
4.24
|
1.24
|
15
|
|
Total 1756.12
1841.30 4464
|
