Govt nods to proposals for visually handicapped, disabled

The government today gave its nod to a proposal to provide accessible mobile phones and laptops to visually impaired students and enhance income eligibility ceiling for the disabled to help them get more concession and subsidy in purchase and fittings of aids and appliances.

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved the proposal of the Department of Disability Affairs to provide accessible mobile phone to visually impaired students of 18 years and above only once in five years and to provide laptop, Braille Note Taker and Brailler to school-going disabled students (10th and above) once in 10 years.

It also decided to bring certain modifications and revision of cost norms in the Scheme of Assistance to Disabled Persons for Purchase/Fitting of Aids/Appliances (ADIP Scheme).

The changes will be effective from April 1, 2014.

As per the modifications, the income eligibility ceiling for 100 per cent concession in purchase of such fittings has been increased from the existing Rs 6500 per month to Rs 15,000 per month and for a 50 per cent concession from Rs 15001 to Rs. 20,000 per month, a government release said.

The cost ceiling for aids/appliances has been revised from Rs 6,000 to Rs 10,000 for single disability and from Rs 8,000 to Rs 12,000 for students with disabilities.

The ceiling of cost of medical/surgical correction which presently ranges from Rs. 500 to Rs 3000 has also been revised.

It will be now Rs 1000 for hearing and speech-impaired, the double of what it was earlier at Rs 500 and for visually disabled it has been doubled to Rs 2000.