The Ministry’s umbrella Central Sector Scheme, initially known as the “Scheme to Promote Voluntary Action for Persons with Disabilities,” underwent a revision effective from April 1, 2003, and was rebranded as the “Deendayal Disabled Rehabilitation Scheme (DDRS)“. Despite the scheme’s revision in 2003, the cost norms established in 1999 remained unchanged, necessitating an update to account for inflation. Over the period from 1999 to 2007, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for Industrial workers rose by 38%, highlighting the need for adjustments to honoraria, recurring, and non-recurring expenses. Furthermore, the scheme has been expanded to encompass a broader range of model projects.

Objectives

1. Foster an enabling environment to uphold equal opportunities, equity, social justice, and empowerment for persons with disabilities.
2. Promote voluntary efforts to enhance the implementation of the People with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities and Protection of Rights) Act of 1995, ensuring its effectiveness.

Approach and Strategy

This Scheme aims to offer financial aid to voluntary organizations, enabling them to provide comprehensive rehabilitation services for individuals with disabilities. These services encompass early intervention, fostering daily living skills, education, skill development for employability, training, and awareness initiatives. Emphasizing the integration of persons with disabilities into mainstream society and maximizing their potential, the primary focus will be on education and training programs. To effectively realize the scheme’s objectives, key strategies include:

1. Enhancing educational opportunities across all levels and formats to widen vocational and professional prospects, income generation, and employment options.
2. Advocating for measures promoting both formal and non-formal employment avenues, including placement support.
3. Implementing outreach and comprehensive Community Based Rehabilitation initiatives in both urban and rural settings.
4. Supporting manpower development for training personnel across various levels required for disability-focused programs and projects.
5. Facilitating the development, publication, and dissemination of information, documentation, and training materials.
6. Establishing well-equipped resource centers at different levels and promoting self-help groups, parent organizations, and independent living.
7. Encouraging coordination, cooperation, networking, and multi-sectoral linkages.
8. Supporting environmentally friendly and eco-promotive projects for people with disabilities.
9. Backing the construction, maintenance of buildings, provision of furniture, fixtures, and installation and upkeep of machinery and equipment.
10. Establishing facilities for sports, recreation, leisure-time activities, creative arts, cultural inclusivity, and socially engaging endeavors.
11. Facilitating appropriate housing, homes, and hostel facilities for individuals with disabilities.
12. Conducting surveys and epidemiological studies to gather essential data.
13. Promoting research in development areas, innovative strategies, assistive devices, enabling technologies, and ensuring quality control in device production.
14. Safeguarding human, civil, and consumer rights of persons with disabilities.
15. Provide legal literacy through counseling, aid, and analysis of laws.
16. Offer support tailored to the needs of persons with disabilities as mandated by the People with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities and Protection of Rights) Act of 1995.

Grants-in-aid to NGOs

1. Vocational Training Centers
2. Sheltered Workshops
3. Special Schools for Persons with Disabilities
4. Projects for Cerebral Palsied Children
5. Projects for Pre-School and Early Intervention and Training
6. Home-based Rehabilitation Programs / Home Management Programs
7. Projects for the Rehabilitation of Leprosy Cured Persons (LCPs)
8. Projects related to Survey, Identification, Awareness, and Sensitization
9. Projects for Community-Based Rehabilitation
10. Projects for Human Resource Development
11. Seminars / Workshops / Rural Camps
12. Projects for Legal Literacy, including Legal Counseling, Legal Aid, and Analysis and Evaluation of Existing Laws
13. Environmentally Friendly and Eco-Promotive Projects for the such as disabled
14. Grants for the Purchase of Vehicles
15. Construction of Buildings
16. Grants for Computers
17. Projects for Low Vision Centers
18. Halfway Homes for Distraught-Social Rehabilitation of Treated and Controlled Mentally Ill Persons
19. District Disability Rehabilitation Centers (DDRCs).

The maximum level of support could be up to 90% of the eligible amount of grant for the project.

Impact

1. Over 600 NGOs receive financial aid through the Deendayal Disabled Rehabilitation scheme to support projects aimed at rehabilitating Persons with Disabilities (PwDs).
2. These funded NGOs collectively serve more than forty thousand beneficiaries annually, enhancing their access to rehabilitation services and support.

Read also: Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs)