Bhubaneswar: The state government has envisaged a new scheme for providing certificates, assistive devices and scholarship for the children of persons with disabilities (PwDs).
The government proposes to organise Samarthya Sibirs (camps) to distribute certificates and assistive devices to the PwDs, as part of the scheme which is to be named Bhima Bhoi Bhinnakshyama Samarthya Abhiyan (BBSA), sources said Thursday.
Physically disabled persons are facing many constraints in access to public services in the absence of certification. They also lack access to assistive devices and appliances that help them integrate with mainstream society, the source said.
The scheme is expected to effectively address these serious concerns of PwDs. The government also proposes to provide scholarships to children of PwDs pursuing higher education.
Further, mobile units are to be engaged with the assistance of non-government organisations (NGOs) on a pilot basis during 2016-17, to strengthen outreach of services to the disabled.
The draft proposal for the scheme states that Samarthya Sibirs would be organised twice a year in each block to provide multi-sectoral services to PwDs.
At the first camp, PwDs will be identified and issued with disability certificates while at the second camp, assistive devices or documents would be distributed among those found eligible. Scholarship will be sanctioned for eligible children at the second camp.
The government intends to implement the scheme as a state plan scheme. It is to be implemented through the director of social security and empowerment of persons with disabilities (SSEPD) at the state-level and through district social security officers (DSSO) at the district-level.
The total Budget provision for the scheme for 2016-17 is `20 crore; budgetary provision for this year has already been made, sources said. The fund is expected to be spent on up to 21,000 PwDs each year.
According to Census-2001 figures, the state had about 10 lakh PwDs; the number rose to 12.44 lakh as of Census-2011. About half this population is yet to receive disability certificates or benefits.
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