5.79 mn Unique Disability ID cards issued across country: Virendra Kumar

Around 57.95 lakh Unique Disability identity cards have been issued across the country so far, Union Minister Virendra Kumar said Saturday while asserting that the Narendra Modi government has done unprecedented work for the welfare of disabled people.

The minister for social justice and empowerment said after the implementation of the Rights to Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, the categories for disability have been increased from seven to 21, and reservation for Divyangjan in government jobs has also been raised from three per cent to four per cent besides increasing reservation in higher education to 5 per cent.

"Unique ID for Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) project is being implemented with a view of creating a national database for PwDs and issuing a Unique Disability Identity Card. So far, about 57. 95 Lakh UDID cards have been issued," he said after virtually inaugurating a camp for the distribution of free aid and appliances among the disabled in the Doda district under the ADIP scheme.

He said the UDID scheme has been implemented in all states.

Persons with Disabilities do not need to make multiple copies of documents as the card will capture all necessary details and is valid throughout the country, Kumar said.

"The UDID card will be the single document of identification and verification of the disabled for availing various benefits in the future," he said.

The minister said the scheme for implanting cochlear devices for children who are deaf by birth and cannot speak has been implemented by the ministry with the provision of Rs 6 lakh for each such child.

Elaborating on the initiatives being taken up by the Ministry under the Accessible India campaign, he said 35 international and 55 domestic airports, 709 railway stations, 10,175 bus terminals and 683 websites have been covered to provide an accessible environment for persons with disabilities.

Besides, 1,459 beneficiaries of Doda have been pre-identified with 2,220 assistive appliances of different categories worth Rs 70.61 Lakh, the Union minister said.