13-Sep-2018: DEPwD To organize ‘National Conference of District Disability Rehabilitation Centres’

The Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (Divyangjan), Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment is organising a ‘National Conference of District Disability Rehabilitation Centres’ at Dr. Ambedkar International Centre, New Delhi on 14th September, 2018. Shri Thaawarchand Gehlot, the Minister of Social Justice & Empowerment will be the chief guest on the occasion, the Ministers of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, will also preside over the function.

The participants in this one day conference include District Magistrates of 263 districts were DDRCs have been set up, Principal Secretaries Social Welfare, reputed NGOs, District Social Welfare officers, eminent Doctors etc. The conference is organized for taking the message of DDRCs further, which play a crucial and central role for the wellbeing of Divyangjan and to give clarification about the mechanism of schemes and disseminate its success stories.

District Disability Rehabilitation Centre (DDRC) provide comprehensive services to persons with disabilities and facilitate creation of infrastructure and capacity building at the district level for awareness generation, rehabilitation and training of rehabilitation professionals. The salient features of the District Disability Rehabilitation Centres are as under:-

  • 310 districts have been identified and 263 DDRCs have been set up.
  • Awareness generation, early intervention and assessment of the need of assistive devices to Divyangjans.
  • Therapeutic services such as Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy and Speech Therapy etc. to Divyangjans through rehabilitation professionals.
  • Equipment for rehabilitation services.
  • Cost norms of the Scheme has been revised and enhanced to 2.5 times w.e.f. 01/04/2018.

24-Jan-2017: Varishtha Pension Bima Yojana - 2017

The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has given its post-facto approval for launching of Varishtha Pension Bima Yojana 2017 (VPBY 2017).  It is a part of Government’s commitment for financial inclusion and social security.

The scheme will be implemented through Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) during the current financial year to  provide social security during old age and protect elderly persons aged 60 years and above against a future fall in their interest income due to uncertain market conditions. The scheme will provide an assured pension based on a guaranteed rate of return of 8% per annum for ten years, with an option to opt for pension on a monthly / quarterly / half yearly and annual basis. The differential return, i.e., the difference between the return generated by LIC and the assured return of 8% per annum would be borne by Government of India as subsidy on an annual basis.

VPBY-2017 is proposed to be open for subscription for a period of one year from the date of launch.