50% of Persons with Disability in India are illiterate
Social Justice and Empowerment Minister, on Thursday, told Rajya Sabha that nearly 50 per cent of the people with various forms of disabilities in India are literate and attending educational institutions.
"As per the Census 2001, there were a total of 21.9 million persons with disabilities in the country, out of which only 10.8 million I.e. nearly 50 per cent-were reported to be literate," Minister of State for SJ&E D Napoleon said in a written reply to the House.
Around 6.5 million of the above 10.8 were in the age group of 5-19 years, with nearly 3.3 million persons which is around 50%, are attending educational institutions, he added. The Minister further added that for the year 2011-12, a sum of Rs 410.09 lakh was sanctioned to the District Disability Rehabilitation Centres (DDRCs).
"The amount sanctioned to the DDRCs during the financial year 2009-10, 2010-11 and 2011-12 is Rs 201.08 lakh, Rs 590.77 lakh and Rs 410.09 lakh, respectively," he said.
DDRCs are government run organizations set up to provide comprehensive services to persons with disabilities at the grass root level and for creation of infrastructure and capacity building at the district level for generating awareness.
Napoleon replied to a question regarding the replacement of an existing law for the disabled by saying,"A committee was set up in 2010 consisting of experts in the disability sector... The committee submitted its report including draft legislation called the Right of Persons with Disabilities Bill 2011 which is under consideration."
News contributed by our volunteer Anmol Mongia
