Focus: Government policies and Interventions
Why in News?
A ‘Samajik Adhikarita Shivir’ for distribution of aids and assistive devices to ‘Divyangjan’ under the ADIP Scheme of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India will be organized by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD) in association with ALIMCO and District Administration Sonitpur
ADIP Scheme- the Assistance to Disabled persons for purchasing/fitting of aids/appliances (ADIP) scheme:
Nodal: Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment.
- Objective: to assist the needy disabled persons in procuring durable, sophisticated and scientifically manufactured, modern, standard aids and appliances that can promote their physical, social and psychological rehabilitation, by reducing the effects of disabilities and enhance their economic potential.
- The aids and appliances supplied under the Scheme shall conform to BIS specifications to the extent possible.
- The aim is to promote physical, social, psychological rehabilitation of Persons with Disabilities by reducing the effects of disabilities and at the same time enhance their economic potential.
- Grant-in-aid under the Scheme will Not be given for commercial supply of aids/appliances.
- Implementation: The scheme is implemented through implementing agencies such as NGOs, National Institutes under the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment and ALIMCO (a PSU that manufactures artificial limbs).
The following agencies would be eligible to implement the Scheme on behalf of Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, subject to fulfillment of laid down terms and conditions:
- Societies, registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860 and their branches, if any, separately.
- Registered charitable trusts
- District Rural Development Agencies, Indian Red Cross Societies and other Autonomous Bodies headed by District Collector/Chief Executive Officer/District Development Officer of Zilla Parishad.
- National/Apex Institutes including ALIMCO functioning under administrative control of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment/Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
- State Handicapped Development Corporations.
- Local Bodies- Zilla Parishad, Municipalities, District Autonomous Development Councils and Panchayats.
- Hospitals registered as separate entity, as recommended by state/central government
- Nehru Yuvak Kendras.
Eligibility
- He/she should be an Indian citizen of any age.
- Should be certified by a Registered Medical Practitioner that he/she is disabled and fit to use prescribed aid/appliance. Holds a 40% Disablement Certificate.
- Person who is employed/self-employed or getting pension and whose monthly income from all sources does not exceed Rs. 20,000/- per month.
- In case of dependents, the income of parents/guardians should not exceed Rs. 20,000/- per month.
- Persons who have not received assistance from the Government, local bodies and Non-Official Organisations during the last 3 years for the same purpose. However, for children below 12 years of age this limit would be 1 year.
Aids/appliances which do not cost more than Rs. 10,000/ – are covered under the Scheme for single disability. However, in the case of SwDs, students beyond IX class, the limit would be raised to Rs.12,000/.
About Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana (RVY)
Nodal: Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment.
- The RVY was launched in 2017 at Nellore, Andhra Pradesh.
- Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana (RVY) is a scheme for providing Physical Aids and Assisted-living Devices for Senior citizens belonging to BPL category.
- This is a Central Sector Scheme, fully funded by the Central Government.
- The expenditure for implementation of the scheme will be met from the “Senior Citizens’ Welfare Fund”.
- The Scheme will be implemented through the sole implementing agency – Artificial Limbs Manufacturing Corporation (ALIMCO), a PSU under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
- Under the scheme, the physical aids will be provided only to the senior citizens of the nation.
- This implies those who are aged above 60 years will get free assisted living aids and physical devices which are required for their sustainability.
- Also the govt. has selected the list of cities where the scheme will be implemented.
- The main criteria for the senior citizens to get full benefits of Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana (RVY) scheme is that they must belong to BPL family and should hold valid BPL card issued by the concerned authority.
- Beneficiaries in each district will be identified by the State Governments/UT Administrations through a Committee chaired by the Deputy Commissioner/District Collector.
- As far as possible, 30% of the beneficiaries in each district shall be women.
About Significance of RVY Scheme
- According to Census 2011, there are 10.38 crores of senior citizens.
- And of these, more than 70% of them live in rural areas.
- Therefore, it is essential to take special care towards them through these camps organized under Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana.
