Parliament Question: Approval rate of UDID

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF SOCIAL JUSTICE & EMPOWERMENT DEPARTMENT OF EMPOWERMENT OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES (DIVYANGJAN) RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO-3808 ANSWERED ON- 25/03/2026 APPROVAL RATE OF UDID 3808. SMT. SAGARIKA GHOSE Will the Minister of SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT be pleased to state: (a) whether Government is cognisant of the fact that applications under the Unique Disability ID (UDID) scheme are facing an average processing delay of nearly 200 days; (b) the reasons for such prolonged delays in processing applications and the corrective measures undertaken or proposed to expedite approvals; (c) whether Government has conducted awareness drives or registration camps to ensure maximum coverage of eligible persons with disabilities under the UDID scheme; and (d) State-wise details of the total number of UDID applications received and approved, along with the corresponding number of Persons with Disabilities (PwDs), as per the latest available data? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT (SHRI B. L. VERMA) (a): The Unique Disability Identity (UDID) sub scheme is a flagship initiative of the Government of India. Under the UDID sub scheme, an online centralized platform namely UDID portal (https://swavlambancard.gov.in/) has been instituted where hospitals authorized by the respective State/UT Governments have been onboarded for issuance of disability certificates and Unique Disability Identity (UDID) cards to the eligible divyangjan. As per UDID portal, the average processing time across States/UTs ranges from two days to more than 600 days. This provision has been implemented to strengthen monitoring of the UDID process. (b): The Central Government acts as a policymaker and facilitator of the centralized online UDID portal, while the issuance of UDID cards is undertaken by notified hospitals authorized by the respective State/UT Governments based on disability assessment. Since disability certification and card issuance require medical evaluation and infrastructure under the purview of States/UTs, the pace, reasons for delay, and timelines depend on the availability of medical infrastructure and specialists in the concerned States/UTs. However, the centralgovernment has undertaken following steps to make the Disability certification system uniform, standardized and hassle free for the Hospitals as well as for the Divyangjan: i. Disability assessment guidelines have been revised on 12.03.2024 with the provision to include private assessment specialists where the delay and pendency is attributable to shortage of specialists. The State/UT Governments have been requested time to time to maximize authorized number of hospital for the issuance of UDID cards and Disability Certificates. ii. Eight zonal training programmes have been organized across the country covering about 6000 assessment specialist including Chief Medical Officers, Medical Superintendents and Specialists, to ensure uniform, fair and efficient assessment. iii. Periodic training and orientation programmes for officials and medical authorities to facilitate effective implementation of the UDID project and ensure timely generation of the UDID card. iv. Regular meetings are held by the senior officers of the department with the States/UTs. v. UDID enrolment centres have been established across NIs/CRCs of the Department facilitating PwDs. (c): The Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD) has undertaken various measures to enhance public awareness and enrolment under the UDID Project, targeting persons with disabilities including in rural and remote areas. The department has taken measures through State/UTs Governments in organising enrolment camps, disseminating information through print, electronic, and social media platforms in multiple languages, and conducting training and sensitisation programmes for District Medical Authorities to facilitate smooth application and certification processes. Further, the social media handles of DEPwD are also used for awareness generation of the UDID project. (d): State-wise details of the total number of UDID applications received and approved, along with the corresponding number of Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) as on 19.03.2026 is at Annexure. *****Annexure Annexure referred to in reply to part (d) of the Rajya Sabha Unstarred Question No. 3808 to be answered on 25.03.2026 regarding “Approval rate of UDID” UDID applications approved and Applications State/UT corresponding number of Persons with received Disabilities (PwDs) Andaman And Nicobar Islands 8090 6991 Andhra Pradesh 1026575 987831 Arunachal Pradesh 5134 4654 Assam 369770 244998 Bihar 959426 718288 Chandigarh 16822 13003 Chhattisgarh 284855 275904 Delhi 209320 110385 Goa 17188 13307 Gujarat 591875 495698 Haryana 384659 237286 Himachal Pradesh 130020 110097 Jammu And Kashmir 333499 229888 Jharkhand 283090 212893 Karnataka 1211032 934949 Kerala 539131 428442 Ladakh 4385 4271 Lakshadweep 1636 1390 Madhya Pradesh 1281661 1009305 Maharashtra 1922886 1416490 Manipur 22205 16924 Meghalaya 35453 34661 Mizoram 8014 7525 Nagaland 4539 3965 Odisha 1474262 949493 Puducherry 26259 24661 Punjab 521499 384458 Rajasthan 886754 741018 Sikkim 6295 5906 Tamil Nadu 1118084 1022956 Telangana 954237 875807 The Dadra And Nagar Haveli And Daman 6201 4724 And Diu Tripura 46920 45452 Uttar Pradesh 2172911 1676372 Uttarakhand 115797 106725 West Bengal 398321 234379 *****