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• The Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways has announced the provision of free equipment and materials to senior citizens and differently-abled persons under the National Vayoshree and Adip (Assistance to Disabled Persons) scheme.

Steps were taken for the Welfare of senior citizens:

• Integrated Programme for Senior Citizens (IPSrC) under which grants in aid are given to Registered Societies/ Panchayati Raj Institutions/Local bodies/ Non-Governmental/Voluntary Organizations for running and maintaining Senior Citizens Homes/Care Homes, Mobile Medicare Units etc.
• Each State/UT is expected to plan its own State Action Plans for the welfare of senior citizens.
  • The State Action Plan may comprise a long-term strategy for five years as well as Annual Action Plans.
  • Department of Social Justice and Empowerment releases funds to the States/UTs for formulation and implementation of their State Action Plans.
• Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana (RVY)
  • It is a Central Sector Scheme funded by the Senior Citizens’ Welfare Fund.
  • Under the Scheme, aids and assistive living devices are provided to senior citizens belonging to the BPL category or those senior citizens who earn less than 15000/- per month and suffer from age-related disabilities such as low vision, hearing impairment, and loss of teeth and locomotor disabilities.
  • The aids and assistive devices are provided to eligible beneficiaries, free of cost.
  • The Scheme is being implemented by Artificial Limbs Manufacturing Corporation of India (ALIMCO) which is a Public Sector Undertaking under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
• Livelihood and Skilling Initiatives for Senior Citizens
  • It aims to supplement the efforts of senior citizens by providing them opportunities to enhance their earnings and sense of self-respect.
• Senior Able Citizens for Re-Employment in Dignity (SACRED) portal allows the Senior Citizens a platform to connect with private enterprises for certain positions.
• Promoting Silver Economy
  • To find innovative solutions for the commonly faced problems by Senior Citizens.
  • Innovative start-ups will be identified and encouraged for developing products, processes and services for the welfare of the elderly under this initiative.
  • The selected start-ups/start-up ideas can be provided equity support of up to Rs.1 crore per project while ensuring that the total Government equity in the start-up should not exceed 49%.
• Channelizing CSR funds for Elderly care:
  • This initiative is to channel the CSR funds for elderly care
• The Ministry has set up the National Helpline for Senior Citizens to address the grievance of the elders.
• Vayoshreshtha Samman- A Scheme of National Award for Senior Citizens
  • National Award for Senior Citizens ‘Vayoshreshtha Sammans’ is conferred to eminent and outstanding institutions or organizations and individuals from different categories.

Related News

• Recently, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment released the draft guidelines to expand the disabilities prevention programme of the Health Ministry.
• The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, has extended the number of disabilities from 7 to 21.

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Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016

• The Act replaced the Persons with Disabilities Act of 1995.
• India is a signatory of the United National Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD). The act fulfils the commitment made by India at UNCRPD.
• Under the Act, types of disabilities have been increased from the existing 7 to 21 and it authorised the Central Government to add more types of disabilities.
• The 21 disabilities are;
  • Blindness
  • Low-vision
  • Leprosy Cured persons
  • Hearing Impairment (deaf and hard of hearing)
  • Locomotors Disability
  • Dwarfism
  • Intellectual Disability
  • Mental Illness
  • Autism Spectrum Disorder
  • Cerebral Palsy
  • Muscular Dystrophy
  • Chronic Neurological conditions
  • Specific Learning Disabilities
  • Multiple Sclerosis
  • Speech and Language disability
  • Thalassemia
  • Haemophilia
  • Sickle Cell Disease
  • Multiple Disabilities including deaf, and blindness.
  • Acid Attack victim
  • Parkinson's disease
• First-time Speech and Language Disabilities and Specific Learning disabilities have been added to the list.
• Acid Attack Victims and Dwarfism are also included in the list of disabilities.
• The list of disabilities also included three blood disorders;
  • Thalassemia
  • Haemophilia
  • Sickle Cell Disease
• Directed the governments to ensure that persons with disabilities enjoy their rights equally with others.
• Persons with benchmark disabilities and those with high support will get additional benefits such as reservations in higher education, government jobs, poverty alleviation schemes etc.
• Every child between the ages of 6 and 18 years with the benchmark disability shall have the right to free education.
• Ensure their accessibility in public buildings (both Government and private).
• Reservation in Public vacancies has been increased from 3% to 4% for persons with benchmark disability.
• Central and State Advisory Boards on Disability to serve as the highest policy-making bodies at the Central and State level.
• District-level committees by the State Governments to address local concerns of PwDs.
• National and State Fund to provide financial support to persons with disabilities.
• Strict Punishments and Penalties for offences committed against persons with disabilities.
• Special Courts in each district to take cases regarding violation of rights of PwDs.
• The Act provided an effective tool for ensuring their empowerment and true inclusion into mainstream society in an acceptable manner.

https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1856035

https://t.me/+hJqMV1O0se03Njk9

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