**Executive Summary**
This document presents the response of the Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment to Unstarred Question No. 1489 regarding benefits to weaker sections, specifically persons with disabilities, senior citizens, Scheduled Castes, and other disadvantaged sections, with a focus on Uttar Pradesh. The response, dated December 9, 2025, addresses the availability of welfare schemes, reviews of social justice programs, and initiatives to strengthen digital services.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **State Subject Responsibility:** Relief to the disabled is primarily a State subject; therefore, the Uttar Pradesh government is responsible for implementing and maintaining welfare schemes.
* **UDID Card Issuance:** Over 16 lakh Unique Disability Identification (UDID) cards have been generated and issued in Uttar Pradesh.
* **Assistance to Disabled Persons (ADIP) Scheme:**
* Modern aids and appliances are provided through implementing agencies and Pradhan Mantri Divyasha Kendras (PMDKs).
* From 2022-2025, ADIP camps in Uttar Pradesh utilized over Rs.205 crore across 859 camps benefitting 1.4 Lakh beneficiaries.
* **Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana (RVY):** From 2022-2025, RVY camps in Uttar Pradesh benefitted 68,967 senior citizens across 252 camps.
* **Scholarship Scheme:** Rs.46.44 crore disbursed under the Scholarship Scheme of DEPWD to 8918 students with disabilities in the State of Uttar Pradesh from 2023-24 to 2025-26.
* **Cross Disability Early Intervention Centres (CDEICs):** Three CDEICs in Uttar Pradesh provide early screening, therapy, and counselling for young children.
* **Schemes Implemented by the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment (DoSJE):** The DoSJE implements schemes like PM-AJAY, scholarships, free coaching, SHRESHTA, SMILE etc.
* **Atal Vayo Abhyuday Yojana (AVYAY):** The DoSJE supplements state efforts for senior citizens through AVYAY, with 50 old-age homes operational in Uttar Pradesh.
* **Scheme Reviews:** The DEPwD regularly reviews schemes like ADIP, Scholarship, DDRS, IPSrC, SMILE, etc., with concerned officials of different State departments.
* **Digital Initiatives:**
* MeitY's SugamyaWeb aids accessibility audits and certifications.
* Bhashini enhances multilingual access to e-services.
* DoSJE launched a Senior Citizen Portal for welfare schemes, services, and grievance redressal.
* ALIMCO is implementing AI Accessibility Mission and Mission AI-Driven Assistive Technology.
* The National Scholarship Portal (NSP) is strengthened with OTR, bio and face authentication, and NSP–UDID portal integration.
**Impact Analysis**
**Persons with Disabilities, Senior Citizens, Scheduled Castes and other disadvantaged sections.**
* **Impact:** They are the direct beneficiaries of the various welfare schemes, assistive devices, and digital services mentioned.
* **Action Required:** To apply for and utilize the benefits of available welfare schemes, participate in camps (ADIP, RVY), and leverage the digital platforms (Senior Citizen Portal, SugamyaWeb) to access services and information.
**Uttar Pradesh State Government.**
* **Impact:** The state government is responsible for the implementation and maintenance of welfare schemes.
* **Action Required:** Continue to implement and improve welfare schemes, coordinate with central departments (DEPwD, DoSJE), and ensure effective monitoring of schemes.
**Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD).**
* **Impact:** The DEPwD is responsible for the issuance of UDID cards, implementing ADIP, scholarship schemes and other initiatives, and monitoring state government efforts.
* **Action Required:** Continue to implement the above mentioned schemes, coordinate with state officials, and monitor the digital initiatives.
**Department of Social Justice and Empowerment (DoSJE).**
* **Impact:** The DoSJE supplements state efforts for senior citizens through AVYAY, and implements schemes like PM-AJAY, scholarships, free coaching, SHRESHTA, SMILE etc.
* **Action Required:** Continue to implement and expand support through AVYAY and other schemes, ensure coordination with state governments, and evaluate the effectiveness of the programs.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment: The primary ministry mentioned in the context of the parliamentary question and answer regarding benefits to weaker sections.
Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD): A department under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, playing a key role in the schemes discussed.
Uttar Pradesh: The state where the implementation and review of various welfare schemes are being discussed.
ADIP Scheme: Scheme providing modern aids and appliances to persons with disabilities.
Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana (RVY): A scheme benefitting senior citizens, mentioned in the context of camps organized in Uttar Pradesh.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT
DEPARTMENT OF EMPOWERMENT OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. - 1489
TO BE ANSWERED ON- 09/12/2025
BENEFITS TO WEAKER SECTIONS
1489. Shri Babu Singh Kushwaha:
Will the Minister of SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT
be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Government is aware of the fact that Persons with disabilities, Senior citizens,
Scheduled Castes and other disadvantaged sections are facing difficulties in getting benefits of
welfare schemes like pension distribution, certificate generation, availability of assistive devices
and rehabilitation services in Uttar Pradesh and if so, the details thereof;
(b) whether the Union Government has recently undertaken any review of social justice schemes
being run in various States to ensure progress, transparency and access to beneficiaries
particularly in Uttar Pradesh, if so, the details thereof; and
(c) whether the Government proposes any new initiatives in the near future to further strengthen
digital services and social security programmes for the disabled, senior citizens and weaker
sections?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT
(SHRI B L VERMA)
(a) & (b) Relief to the disabled is a State subject. Hence all the efforts and details of Uttar
Pradesh Government in terms of the implementation status of welfare schemes like pension
distribution, disability certificates, assistive devices, and rehabilitation services to persons withdisabilities, senior citizens, scheduled castes and other disadvantaged sections is maintained by
the State government.
As per available records in the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities
(DEPwD), over 16 lakh UDID cards have been generated and issued in State of Uttar Pradesh as
of date. For persons with disabilities, under the ADIP Scheme, modern aids and appliances are
provided through implementing agencies and permanent Pradhan Mantri Divyasha Kendras
including in nine (9) PMDKs in Uttar Pradesh. From 2022–2025, ADIP camps in Uttar Pradesh
utilized over Rs.205 crore across 859 camps benefitting 1.4 Lakh beneficiaries. For 2022–2025,
RVY (Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana) camps in Uttar Pradesh benefitted 68,967 senior citizens
across 252 camps. An amount of Rs.46.44 crore stands disbursed under the Scholarship Scheme
of DEPwD to 8918 students with disabilities in the State of Uttar Pradesh from 2023-24 to 2025-
26. There are three (3 ) Cross Disability Early Intervention Centres (CDEICs) in Uttar Pradesh
providing early screening, therapy and counselling for young children.
The Department of Social Justice and Empowerment (DoSJE) implements schemes like
PM-AJAY, scholarships, free coaching, SHRESHTA, SMILE etc. In respect of senior citizens
DoSJE also supplements the State Government’s efforts through its Atal Vayo Abhyuday Yojana
(AVYAY) components, under which 50 old-age homes are operational in Uttar Pradesh as on
date.
The schemes are regularly reviewed by DEPwD with all concerned officials of different
State departments. ADIP, Scholarship, DDRS, IPSrC, SMILE etc. are some such regularly
monitored schemes.
(c) To strengthen digital services and social security programmes several initiatives are
taking place. MeitY’s SugamyaWeb accessibility testing tool in line with WCAG 2.1 AA, is
helping accessibility audits and certifications of Government/private websites faster, Bhashini’
initiative is helping to enhance multilingual access to e-services. DoSJE has launched a Senior
Citizen Portal as a one-stop digital platform providing information on all welfare schemes,
services, and grievance redressal mechanisms. ALIMCO under DEPwD is implementing AI
Accessibility Mission and Mission AI-Driven Assistive Technology. National Scholarship Portal
(NSP) under DEPwD has been strengthened with OTR, bio and face authentication, and NSP–
UDID portal integration.
*****