Many aware of welfare scheme for the disabled persons
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, June 15 2011:
Weakness in spreading mass awareness on the part of the state social welfare department, has led to many people with disability deprived of various centrally sponsored welfare schemes.
Some of the Central sponsored schemes which provide assistance to the physically handicapped people being implemented in the state are Indira Gandhi National Disability Pension Scheme (IGNDPS) and unemployment allowance to the disabled.
The two centrally sponsored schemes are being implemented in the state through the state Social Welfare Department.
However, due to proper awareness, people who are qualified for the schemes are still deprived of the benefits of the schemes.
Disabled people of ages ranging from 18 to 68 and from families Below the Poverty Line are eligible for the IGNDPS.
There are many eligible people but so far only 404 people are recepients of the benefits of the schemes, an official source said.
A man who has been certified as disabled by the social welfare department can avail the benefits of the relavent scheme which gives ' 200 per month as pension.
On the other hand, under the unemployment allowance to disabled, educated disabled people registered with the state Employment Exchange as job seekers are to be given monthly allowances.
An undergraduate disabled unemployed person is given ' 100 per month, ' 150 for a graduate and ' 200 for a post graduate.
The scheme was introduced in the state during the 2006-07 fiscal year but many educated unemployed disabled do not know about the scheme.
An educated disabled woman told Hueiyen Lanpao, he heard about the scheme but did not know how to apply.
When she asked officials of the department, no one gave any information, she alleged.