Deendayal Disabled Rehabilitation Scheme

The umbrella Central Sector Scheme of this Ministry called the "Scheme to Promote Voluntary Action for Persons with Disabilities" was revised w.e.f. 01.04.2003 and was renamed as the "Deendayal Disabled Rehabilitation Scheme (DDRS)". However, while revision of the scheme took place in 2003, the cost norms of 1999 had remained unchanged. The revision of the cost norms has become imperative to compensate for the price rise. The Consumer Price Index (CPI) for Industrial workers has risen by 38% from 1999 to 2007. It has been decided to revise the cost norms for honoraria, recurring items and nonrecurring items of expenditure. The scheme has also been revised to the extent that there has been widening of the scope of the model projects.

Objectives

The objectives of the scheme are:

• To create an enabling environment to ensure equal opportunities, equity, social justice and empowerment of persons with disabilities.
• To encourage voluntary action for ensuring effective implementation of the People with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities and Protection of Rights) Act of 1995.

Approach and Strategy

The approach of this Scheme is to provide financial assistance to voluntary organizations to make available the whole range of services necessary for rehabilitation of persons with disabilities including early intervention, development of daily living skills, education, skill-development oriented towards employability, training and awareness generation. With a view to inclusion of persons with disabilities in the mainstream of society and actualizing their potential, the thrust would be on education and training programmes. In order to achieve the objectives of the scheme the key strategies will be as follows:

• To enhance educational opportunities at all levels and in all forms and enlarge the scope of vocational and professional opportunities, income generation and gainful occupations.
• To support all such measures as may be necessary for promoting formal as well as nonformal employment and placement opportunities.
• To implement outreach and comprehensive Community Based Rehabilitation programmes in urban and rural environments.
• To support manpower development activities to train required personnel at different levels for all programmes/ projects/activities for persons with disabilities.
• To support the development, publication and dissemination of information, documentation and training materials.
• To set up well equipped resource centres at different levels. To promote and support the development of self-help groups, parent organizations and independent living.
• To encourage coordination, cooperation and networking and multi-sectoral linkages.
• To support people with disabilities in projects which are environment friendly and ecopromotive.
• To support construction and maintenance of buildings, provision of furniture and fixtures and installation and maintenance of machinery and equipment.
• To establish and support facilities for sport, recreation, leisure-time activities, excursions, creative and performing arts, cultural and socially inclusive activities.
• To support and acilitate the availability of appropriate housing, homes and hostel facilities.
• To support the conduct of surveys and other forms of epidemiological studies.
• To promote research in various development areas, innovative strategies, assistive devices and enabling technologies and support production of such devices ensuring quality control.
• To support effort to ensure protection of human, civil and consumer rights of persons with disabilities.
• To support legal literacy, including legal counseling, legal aid and analysis and evaluation of existing laws.
• To support such other measures, which may meet the needs of the persons with disability and fulfill the obligations as prescribed in the People with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities and Protection of Rights) Act of 1995.

Grants-in-aid to NGOs

To facilitate delivery of various services to persons with disabilities by voluntary organizations, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment is administering DDRS scheme and providing grants-in-aid to NGOs for the following projects:-

• Vocational Training Centres
• Sheltered Workshops
• Special Schools for the Persons with Disabilities
• Project for Cerebral Palsied Children
• Project for Pre-School and Early Intervention and Training
• Home based Rehabilitation Program / Home Management Programme
• Project for Rehabilitation of Leprosy Cured Persons (LCPs)
• Project relating to Survey, Identification, Awareness and Sensitization
• Project for Community Based Rehabilitation
• Project for Human Resource Development
• Seminars / Workshops / Rural Camps
• Project for Legal Literacy, Including Legal Counselling, Legal Aid and Analysis and Evaluation of Existing Laws
• Environment Friendly and Eco-Promotive Projects for the Handicapped
• Grant for Purchase of Vehicle
• Construction of Building
• Grant for Computer
• Project for Low Vision Centres
• Half Way Home for Psycho-Social Rehabilitation of Treated and Controlled Mentally Ill Persons
• District Disability Rehabilitation Centres (DDRCs)

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

Source: Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment