Guidelines for the National Awards for Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, 2021 (Corrigendum)

## Report on Amendment to National Award for the Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, 2021 **1. Executive Summary:** This report analyzes an amendment to the "Guidelines for the National Award for the Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, 2021." The amendment, published on November 28, 2022, revises the cash component of the award for individual excellence. The key change involves an increase in the cash award for subcategory 1 within the individual excellence category and clarifies that only a Shield and Certificate will be awarded for Category II. This report provides an overview of the amendment, its rationale, key changes, affected stakeholders, and likely outcomes. **2. Introduction:** This report aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the amendment to the "Guidelines for the National Award for the Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, 2021," based solely on the official notification published in the Gazette of India on November 28, 2022. The analysis focuses on understanding the changes introduced, their potential impact, and relevant stakeholders. **3. Policy Overview:** * **Original Policy:** The amendment refers to the "Guidelines for the National Award for the Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, 2021" originally published on July 14, 2022, in the Gazette of India, dated July 19, 2022. * **Core Objective(s):** (Inferred from the text and policy title) The core objective of the original policy is to recognize and promote the empowerment of persons with disabilities through a National Award. **4. Background and Rationale:** * **Rationale for Amendment:** The amendment likely aims to refine the award structure and incentive for individual excellence in specific subcategories. The increase in the cash component for subcategory 1 suggests a possible intention to provide greater recognition or incentive to a particular area of excellence within the individual category. Additionally, clarifying the award for Category II could be intended to streamline and simplify award administration. **5. Key Provisions / Changes:** This section focuses specifically on the changes introduced by the amendment: * **Specific Part of Original Policy Changed:** The amendment modifies the cash component mentioned in column 4 at Sr. No. 9 of para 2.1II of the "Guidelines for the National Award for the Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, 2021". * **New Rule/Provision:** * For category I, subcategory 1, the cash component will be Rs. 02.00 Lakh. * For category I, subcategories 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, the cash component will be Rs. 01.00 Lakh each. * For category II, only a Shield and Certificate will be awarded. * **Difference/Effect of Change:** * Subcategory 1 of individual excellence (Category I) will now receive twice the previous cash award (increased from Rs. 1.00 Lakh to Rs. 2.00 Lakh). * The amendment confirms the initial cash award amount for subcategories 2 to 6 in Category I. * Category II recipients will now only receive a Shield and Certificate, eliminating any previous cash award component. **6. Target Audience and Stakeholders:** Based on the text, the primary stakeholders affected by this amendment are: * Individuals applying for or being considered for the National Award for Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, specifically those competing in subcategory 1 of the "individual excellence" category, who now stand to receive a larger cash award. * Individuals applying for or being considered for the National Award for Category II, will no longer be eligible for any cash award. * The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, responsible for administering the National Award. **7. Implementation Aspects (Inferred):** * **Responsible Agency/Bodies:** The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities. * **Timelines/Procedures:** The amendment is effective as of November 28, 2022. The awarding process will need to be updated to reflect these changes. **8. Expected Outcomes / Impact of Changes:** The likely intended outcomes of these changes include: * Increased incentive and recognition for achievements in subcategory 1 of the individual excellence category (Category I). * Greater streamlining and clarity in the allocation of awards and resources, especially for Category II. * Potentially, increased competition or focus on areas within subcategory 1 if the increased reward is perceived as significantly more desirable. **9. Conclusion:** The amendment to the "Guidelines for the National Award for the Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, 2021," represents a targeted adjustment to the cash award structure, focusing on increasing the award amount for a specific subcategory within individual excellence (Category I) and streamlining awards for Category II. These changes are likely intended to refine the award program and better incentivize specific achievements within the field of disability empowerment. The amendment is effective as of November 28, 2022, and will impact applicants and the administering Ministry.

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