(GIST OF YOJANA) Employment Avenues for Differently Abled [SEPTEMBER-2018]

(GIST OF YOJANA) Employment Avenues for Differently Abled

[SEPTEMBER-2018]

Employment Avenues for Differently Abled

The new Act (Right of Person with Disability Act 2016) has increase the job reservation from 3 to 4 per cent for people with disability. The government has identified positions in various departments and sections that are to be reserved for persons with disabilities based on their ability to perform the work of the position.

The government as per circular dated June 2015, made provision of 10 year upper age limit for the post of C and D for PwDs with low vision, visual impairment, hearing impairment, locomotors disability and cerebral palsy in case of direct recruitment in all civil posts under Central government. They are also exempted from payment of application fees and examination fees.

The government provides that persons with disabilities recruited to Group C and Group D employment on regional basis may be given postings, as far as possible under administrative constraints, nearest to their native places within the region. Requests from disabled employees for transfers to offices in or nearest to their native places may also be given priority.

The government provides that persons with disabilities should not be denied promotion in their employment on account of the disability / medical fitness if they are otherwise medically fit and can discharge their duties satisfactorily.

Transport allowance at double the normal rate for employee with Hearing Impairment is effective since 2017 and travelling allowance to escorts of government employee with disabilities is provided while on tour or training as per circular dated 17.2.2015.

The government has established special employment exchanges for persons with disabilities in all state capitals and special employment cells have been set up in all district headquarters for recruitment to government posts reserved for persons with disabilities. In places where special employment exchanges have not been established, special employment cells have been set up within regular employment exchanges. Persons with disabilities are required to register themselves with the special employment exchanges/cells to be eligible for government employment under reservation. Special employment registrations can also be done at the 17 vocational rehabilitation centres for persons with disabilities.

The government provides for employment of persons with disabilities in the private sector through incentives to employers. The government pays the employer's contribution of the disabled employee's provident fund and employee state insurance up to three years for employment of persons with disabilities with a minimum salary of Rs. 25,000 per month.

Scheme of National Awards for the Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities: In order to recognize their effort and encourage others to strive to achieve excellence in this field, separate awards are being presented to the most efficient/outstanding employees with disabilities, best employers, best placement agency/officer, outstanding individuals, outstanding institutions, role models, outstanding creative disabled

individuals and for outstanding technological innovation and adaptation of innovation to provide cost effective technology. Awards are also given to Government Sector, Public Sector Undertakings and private enterprises for creating barrier free environment for the persons with disabilities, the best district in the field of disability rehabilitation, best Local Level Committee of the National Trust and to the best State Channelizing Agency (SCA) of the National Handicapped Finance and Development Corporation (NHFDC). Preference is given to the placement of women with disabilities, particularly, from the rural areas and self-employed women.

The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has reserved 7.5 per cent of all types of dealership agencies of public sector oil companies for persons with physical disabilities. This does not include defence personnel injured while on service. Applicants should be Indian citizens, aged between 21 years to 30 years, should have a minimum educational qualification of matriculation or equivalent, should produce disability certificate with minimum 40 per cent disability of either upper limb or lower limb or both limbs considered together. Persons with partial hearing impairment are also eligible to apply. Persons with total visual impairment are eligible to apply for retail outlets, kerosene / LDO dealerships but are not eligible to apply for LPG dealership. Total family income of applicant should not exceed Rs. 50.000 per annum.

The National Handicapped Finance and Development Corporation (NHEDC): The NHFDC functions as an apex institution for channelising the funds to persons with disabilities through the State Channelising Agencies (SCAS) nominated by the State Government(s). The schemes include loans for setting up small business in service/ trading industrial units, for higher studies/professional training, for manufacturing/production of assistive devices for disabled persons, for agricultural activities, for self employment amongst persons with mental retardation, Cerebral Palsy and Autism.

The details of the schemes are given as under:

• For setting up small business in service / trading sector - loan of Rs. 3,00.000 (Three lakh)
• For setting up small business in sales / trading sector - Rs. 5,00.000 (five lakh)
• For agriculture / allied activities - Loan of up to Rs. 10,00.000 (ten lakh)
• Purchase of vehicle for commercial hiring – Loan of Rs. 10,00.000 (ten lakh)
• For setting up small industries unit - Loan of Rs. 25,00,000 (25 lakh)
• For professionally educated / trained persons with disabilities for self-employment-Rs. 25,00.000 (25 lakh)
• For building business premises on own land for employment - Rs. 3,00.000 (three lakh)

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The business for which financial assistance is sought should be directly operated by the applicant. In case of persons with autism, cerebral palsy or mental retardation, the parent / spouse / legal guardian of the applicant is authorised to enter into contract with NHFDC on behalf of the applicant. Applicant should fulfill the eligibility criteria of having minimum 40 per cent disability, should be Indian citizen and should have required professional / technical qualification for the business undertaken. Loans should be repaid by a maximum of 10 years.

RBT has circulated the information in March 2015 that, on priority loan sector to PwDs will be eligible under the classification of weaker section. Based on the recommendations made by the Seventh Central Pay Commission for providing extra benefits to women employees with disabilities especially when they have young children and children with disability, Government has decided to give Rs.3000/-per month as Special Allowance for Child Care to Women with disabilities. The allowance shall be payable from the time of the child's birth till the child is two years old and it shall be payable for a maximum of two eldest surviving children. This provision is effective from July 2017.

Persons with disabilities are eligible for income tax deduction under Section SOU. Legal guardians of dependent persons with disabilities are eligible for income tax deduction under section 80DD for expenditures incurred on medical care, training and rehabilitation expenses or annuity paid. Persons with disabilities are exempted from payment of professional tax.

The Skill Council for Persons with Disabilities (SCPwD) is promoted by Confederation of Indian Industry (CI) under the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. It targets skill development of People with Disabilities as per industry needs which can help them to be gainfully employed and contribute to India's growing economy. Towards this beginning, there are several projects which have been undertaken by the council since its inception. One among the recent is the collaboration with Glasgow Kelvin College, Scotland under UK-India Education and Research Institute (UKIERI) to benchmark standards between India and Scotland in the area of Disability.

Prerna is the marketing assistance scheme of National Trust with an objective to create viable and widespread channels for sale of products and services produced by Person with disability (PwD)covered under National Trust Act. This scheme aims at providing funds to participate in events such as exhibitions, melas, fairs, etc. to sell the products made by PwDs. However, at least 51 per cent of employees of these work centres should be PwDs with disabilities covered under National Trust Act.

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