Universal ID for all Divyang within 2 years

16.01.2016, VARANASI: Union social justice and empowerment minister Thawar Chand Gehlot announced to provide universal identity cards to all Divyangs (physically challenged persons) in the country within two years. The German company engaged in manufacturing electronic limbs will initiate the supply by next year.

Talking to TOI here on Saturday Gehlot said, "High turnout of physically-challenged people during camps of ministry for equipment distribution so far hints that their number is higher than the figure of 2.68 crore mentioned in Census 2011. To know the actual number of physically challenged people, my ministry has launched a fresh survey. We presume that the figure of physically challenged people may cross the mark of 3.5 crores with the completion of this survey."

With the launching of this survey, he said, the work on providing universal ID to physically challenged people had also been started by the ministry. "We expect that all physically challenged people of India will have their universal ID within two years. This universal ID has been introduced for such people by keeping their problems in view. At present the physically-challenged people get a certificate from district administration, which is not acknowledged even in neighbouring district or state to provide sanctioned benefits to them. The universal ID will solve the problem as it will be acceptable across the country", added Gehlot, who was in the city to review the preparations for ministry's proposed event of equipment distribution among 9000 physically challenged persons by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi at DLW ground on January 22.

Gehlot said, "Encouraged by the results of the drive carried out by the government last year for cochlear implant among deaf and dump children the ministry has engaged a German company to manufacture electronic limbs with a Kanpur based company. Distribution of electronic limbs, which is needed for about 80% physically challenged persons, will also be started within two years to enable physically challenged persons to lead life like normal people."

He said that the ministry has distributed equipment of Rs 3.50 crores through 350 camps in past one and half years. Out of these 350 camps, he said, 95 camps were in mega category as over 1,000 physically challenged persons were benefited in each of these camps.

Gehlot claimed, the proposed camp in which PM will distribute equipment among 9,000 physically challenged persons would be the biggest camp in the world.