Schemes for Persons with Disabilities

1. Schemes / Programmes implemented by the State Resource Centre on Disability Affairs (SRCDA)
   Meritorious Scholarship for Students with Disabilities
   

   The meritorious scholarship was introduced in the year 2013 by the State Society for Implementation of Rehabilitation Services of Persons with Disabilities (SSIRPD) from Class XI onwards with an aim to encourage Students with Disabilities to pursue higher education. The details of the scholarships are as under:

   Meritorious Scholarship for Students with Disabilities

   Educational Qualification	Amount per month	No. of beneficiaries
   Class XI & XII	2000	44
   Graduate & Diploma level	3000
   Post Graduate level	4000
   Ph.D and other Higher Technical Professional course	5000

2. Schemes sanctioned under Schemes for Implementation of Persons with Disabilities Act (SIPDA) by the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, Govt. of India

   1. Creation of Disabled Friendly Website

   • An amount of Rs. 30.00 lakhs was sanctioned as Grant-in-aid during 2013-14 to make Government websites accessible to persons with disabilities. The National Informatics Centre (NIC) Shillong which is the Implementing Agency has undertaken to make 49 websites accessible to persons with disabilities out of which 46 websites have been made accessible.
   • An additional list of 35 websites has been submitted to the Ministry vide  No. SW(S)87/2016/238, Dt. 11.05.2017 for inclusion under Accessible India Campaign. ERNET India (an autonomous scientific society under MEity) has been nominated by the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment D/O Empowerment for Persons with Disabilities to convert these websites as per GIGW/WGAC. Work is under progress.

   2. Early Diagnostic & Intervention Centres

   With a view to help hearing impaired infants and young children to acquire necessary skills to get prepared for regular school, the Ministry has sanctioned Rs. 72.00 Lakhs as Grant-in-aid during 2013-14 for establishment of New Early
   Diagnostic & Intervention Centre at the   four district Headquarters of Shillong, Nongstoin, Jowai and Tura. 2695 Persons with hearing impairment have been benefitted.

   3. District Disability Rehabilitation Centres (DDRCs)/ District Resource Centres(DRCs)

   In order to provide comprehensive services in terms of early detection, prevention, rehabilitation and counselling to persons with disabilities at the grassroots level, three Resource Centres at Shillong, Jowai and Tura had been set up and two District Disability Rehabilitation Centres (DDRCs) under a Scheme for Implementation of the Persons with Disabilities Act (SIPDA) at Tura and Nongstoin had also been set up in the State to cater to the basic needs through assessment camps, distribution/fitment of aids & appliances, training and therapeutic services. Survey for PwD population is being conducted regularly by the Multipurpose Rehabilitation Workers and Community Based Rehabilitation Workers in all the districts. Activities like outreach campaign at different levels of Institutions, issuance of disability certificate and all disability rehabilitation programme is being implemented by the State Resource Centre on Disability Affairs.

3. Assistance to Disabled Persons for purchase/fitting of Aids/Appliances (ADIP)
   

   An amount of Rs. 21.57 lakhs was granted as Grant-in-aid for the year 2013-14 and an amount of Rs. 36,67,282/- (Rupees Thirty six lakhs sixty seven thousand two hundred eighty two) was sanctioned as Grant-in-aid for the year 2014-15 by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment through the State Resource Centre on Disability Affairs, Civil Hospital Shillong which is the Implementing Agency. Aids and appliances are being supplied free of cost to the needy Persons with Disabilities like Wheelchairs, Hearing aids, Crutches, White cane, Artificial limbs, Calipers, braces, splints, etc. 873 beneficiaries benefitted till 2016-17.

4. Disability Certificate:

   So far 34885 disability certificates have been issued by the State Resource Centre on Disability Affairs (FY 2016-17). The number of persons with disabilities in Meghalaya as per Census 2011 report is 44317 PwDs. Meghalaya has achieved 79% coverage of Disability Certificates during the said period.

5. Scheme for financial assistance for Skill & Entrepreneurial Development sanctioned by National Handicapped Finance and Development Corporation (NHFDC)

   The scheme was launched towards the end of 2010. The Meghalaya Co-operative Apex Bank (MCAB) Ltd. is the State Channelizing Agency. The objective is to assist Persons with Disabilities in setting up small business in Service/Trading Sector, agricultural activities, purchase of vehicle and Micro credit scheme for Parents Association for the Mentally Retarded persons. So far there are 262 beneficiaries and an amount of Rs. 4.32 crores had been sanctioned.

6. Under Health Department:

   Megha Health Insurance Scheme (MHIS) launched on 15th Dec 2012 provides financial aid to all citizens of the State at the time of hospitalisation to reduce the out of pocket expenses of the residents of the State. Beneficiaries are entitled upto Rs 2.8 lakh coverage at the time of hospitalisation. It extends to 5 members of a family, each household is to pay Rs 30/- at the time of enrolment. State and Central Governments employees are however excluded. So far 61 PwDs have been benefitted. The amount claimed is Rs. 424650/- (Rupees Four lacs twenty four thousand six hundred fifty).

7. Under SSA

   Aids and Appliances are being provided to C.W.S.N through A.L.I.M.C.O and other Agencies. During 2016 – 17, the nos. of beneficiaries is 94 through MP Scheme and 914 through ALIMCO. Braille textbooks for the totally blind C.W.S.N who are trained in Braille and general textbooks for other C.W.S.N are also provided. Book grant and uniform grant is provided to 6465 students with disabilities.

   Transport escort allowances were provided directly to the C.W.S.N through the Block Resource Centre (BRC). During 2016 – 17, 3630 C.W.S.N were provided with Transport and 2367 with Escort allowances.

8. Under Community & Rural Development

   3% reservation for persons with disabilities is being ensured in all poverty alleviation schemes. The number of beneficiaries during the period 2016-17 is as under

   No. of beneficiaries with disabilities

   Name of scheme	Total beneficiaries	No. of beneficiaries with disabilities
   MGNREGA NRLM	1046434 Total self help Group  (SHGs) promoted : 1865 Total member promoted: 18350	982 Total SHGs promoted : 44 Total SHGs receiving revolving   fund:   10SHGs Total members : 65

9. Schemes / Programmes implemented by the Social Welfare Department

   1. Chief Minister’s Social Assistance Pension Scheme to the Disabled

   The scheme was launched in the year 2012 with an aim to provide social security by giving pension to Persons with Disabilities @ Rs. 500 per month. There are 9020 beneficiaries.

   2. Social Security Schemes:

   Social Security Schemes

   Sl. No.	Purpose	Amount per month/ per beneficiary	Funds Allocated	No. of beneficiaries
   1.	Scholarships: Educational	600/- per SEN p.a.	70.00 lakhs (social Welfare)	1983
   2.	Assistance: Educational Support Materials	3000/- per SEN p.a.	40.00 lakhs	1299
   3.	Economic Rehabilitation		20.00 lakh	56
   4.	Disability Pension	500 pm	100.00 lakh	9020
   5.	Unemployment Allowance	1000 pm		130
   6.	Grant-in-Aid to Voluntary Organisations	13 NGOs	8.00 lakhs	647

10. Accessibility

    1. For creation of barrier free environment in Government buildings, an amount of 94 lacs has been released by the Ministry recently under SIPDA. The PWD (Bldg) being the Nodal department is undertaking the work and the same is expected to be completed during this financial year (2016-17)

    2. Accessible India Campaign:

• 24 government buildings have been identified under AIC. Access Audit has been carried out by the CBM India Trust an empanelled agency of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities along with the State Government Officials, Stake holders, NGOs and Persons with Disabilities.
• Financial proposals have been submitted to the Ministry for a total amount of  Rs 33,77,64,317 (thirty three crore seventy seven lakhs sixty four thousand three hundred seventeen only) so far.
• Out of the total amount, Ministry has recently sanctioned an amount of Rs 1,66,38,750 (one crore sixty six Lakhs, thirty eight thousand three hundred and seventeen) for 4 (four) buildings only viz. Deputy Commissioner’s office, Nongstoin, District Social Welfare Office, Nongstoin, Circuit House, Nongstoin, and Circuit House, Mawkyrwat  vide  F. No.4-47/2017-AIC Dt29.08.2017.
• For the remaining 20 (twenty) buildings, drawing of the buildings with level marking and retrofitting is to be submitted to the Ministry as informed on 13.09.2017.
• In this connection a meeting was convened with officials of P.W.D (Bldg) and Health Engineering Wing on 19.09.2017 and 25.09.2017 respectively. The work is being undertaken and the drawing will be submitted immediately on completion.