Parliament Question: Funds Allocated for National Funds for Persons with Disabilities

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF SOCIAL JUSTICE & EMPOWERMENT DEPARTMENT OF EMPOWRERMENT OF PERSONS WITH DISABILTIES (DIVYANGJAN) LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO- 451 TO BE ANSWERED ON 22/07/2025 Funds Allocated for National Funds for Persons with Disabilities

451. Shri Ravindra Dattaram Waikar:

Shri Naresh Ganpat Mhaske:

Smt. Shambhavi:

Dr. Shrikant Eknath Shinde:

Will the Minister of SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT be pleased to state:

(a) the total corpus allocated, sanctioned, disbursed and utilized under the National Fund for Persons with Disabilities since 2020;

(b) the details and the number of persons with benchmark disabilities have benefited from the Fund across various categories for education, assistive devices, entrepreneurship support and skill development, State-wise and year-wise;

(c) the details of the mechanisms that are in place to ensure timely identification of eligible beneficiaries and disbursement of benefits under the Fund;

(d) the details of the steps that have been taken by the Government to operationalize and expand the scope of the National Fund for Persons with Disabilities in 2025; and

(e) whether the Government is considering to increase the Fund’s allocation or coverage under Budget 2025–26 to support new categories such as neurodivergent individuals or those with multiple disabilities, if so, the details thereof? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT (SHRI B.L.VERMA)

(a) The details of corpus allocated, sanctioned, disbursed and utilized under the National Fund for Persons with Disabilities since 2020 are as under:

Till 31.03.2025 (Amt in Cr.) Corpus allocated Fund Sanctioned Fund Disbursed Fund Utilized 250 23.69 22.75 17.24(b) State wise data in respect of Persons with Benchmark disabilities benefited in the category of Education, assistive devices, entrepreneurship support and skill development is not maintained in the Department. However, year-wise details as under :

Category No. of PwDs benefited F.Y. 2021-22 F.Y. 2022-23 F.Y. 2023-24 F.Y. 2024- Total 25 Education 34 0 60 728 822 Assistive devices 0 0 02 0 02 Entrepreneurship Support 50 336 282 0 668 Skill Development 0 11 02 179 192 Total 84 347 346 907 1684

(c) & (d) : The Ministry has established guidelines for financial assistance under the National Fund, with applications accepted year-round through an online portal for individuals with disabilities and related organizations. Applications are reviewed based on eligibility criteria, and eligible cases are presented to the Governing Body for final approval for fund disbursement. In 2025, the guidelines has been revised to continue the exemption from income criteria, aiming to benefit more persons with disabilities.

(e) The disabilities specified under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act, 2016 including Multiple Disabilities ASD, SLD and Intellectual disabilities are considered eligible for financial assistance under the National Fund.

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