National Resource Kit: The Chandigarh Chapter (Call for Comments)

Chandigarh, the brainchild of the French architect Le Corbusier, is a Union Territory that serves as the capital of two states- Punjab and Haryana. According to the 2001 Census, Chandigarh has a disabled population of 15,538 persons.[1]. The disability-wise break up is given below:[2]

[as per 2001 Census]

Quick Statistics:

• Area- 114 square kilometres
• Population- 10.55 Lakhs (as per 2011 Census)[3]
• Literacy Rate- 86.77 (As per 2011 Census)[4]

The Department of Social Welfare, Chandigarh set up in the year 1978, is responsible for implementing the laws, schemes and policies for the welfare of disabled persons.

The details of the Department are provided below:-
Concerned Officer: The Director, Social Welfare Department
Union Territory of Chandigarh, Sector 17, Chandigarh
The website can be accessed at http://chandigarh.nic.in/dept_social.htm

Legal Provisions

Chandigarh has not enacted any specific rules for persons with disabilities but implements the central laws: Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act 1995 (Persons with Disabilities Act 1995) and the National Trust for Welfare of Persons with Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Mental Retardation and Multiple Disabilities Act 1999 (National Trust Act 1999). Chandigarh also implements the Assistance to Disabled Persons (ADIP) Scheme of the Central government.[5]

Accessibility

Schemes on accessibility for persons with disability are mainly relating to conveyance allowances, petrol subsidies and travel concessions. They are the following:

1. Petrol Subsidy: Persons with disability who are owners of motorized vehicles and have an aggregate income of less than Rs. 2,500/- per month can get a 50% subsidy on expenditure incurred on the price of petrol or diesel.[6] However, those persons who are already the beneficiaries of the conveyance allowance[7] shall be excluded from the grant of the petrol subsidy.[8]
2. Conveyance Allowance: A scheme of the Government of Punjab which is applicable in Chandigarh provides a conveyance allowance of Rs. 600/- per month to persons with disabilities[9] Earlier, the amount was Rs. 450/- per month, which was increased to Rs. 600 with effect from 21st of December, 2011.
3. Bus Concessions: There is a provision for persons with blindness[10] and locomotor disability[11] to travel free of cost in Chandigarh Transport Undertaking (CTU) buses within the U.T. area.

Education

1. Scholarships to persons with disabilities: The Social Welfare Department provides scholarships to students with disabilities. From Class-I to VIII, the scholarship is provided by the Education Department and from Class 9th onwards, by the Social Welfare Department in the range of Rs.50/- to Rs.500/- depending upon the class of study.[12] Blind students are also granted a separate Readers’ Allowance.[13]

Employment

1. Special Employment Exchange for Physically Handicapped Applicants: The Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, Government of India has set up a Special Employment Exchange for physically handicapped applicants in the Regional Employment exchange under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme.[14] Persons with disabilities are motivated to submit their applications against reserved and unreserved vacancies. The authorities are urged to examine the roster registers maintained by the employers to see whether 3% reservation n jobs is being given to physically handicapped applicants.[15]
2. Reservations in Government Jobs: Seats are reserved in direct recruitment for persons with disabilities in Grade ‘C’ and ‘D’ posts under the Government.[16] 1% of posts are reserved for each of the categories of visually handicapped, orthopedically handicapped and auditory handicapped.[17]
3. Unemployment allowance: The Social Welfare Department provides an Unemployment Allowance to persons with disability who are unemployed at the following rates:

Source: Sightsavers

Health and Rehabilitation

Other than reservation in housing, the Chandigarh government does not have any other schemes for health or rehabilitation of persons with disabilities.

Social Protection

1. Pension: Persons with visual, auditory and orthopaedic disabilities can avail of a “disability pension” of Rs. 200/- per month, provided that the applicant has been a resident of Chandigarh for the last three years and the income limit for getting Handicapped Pension is Rs.1000 of the person concerned, If married, total income of both husband and wife should not exceed Rs.1500/- p.m. and if not earning, then income of his/her parents, in case of one child should not exceed Rs.500/- p.m. and if two or more children, then Rs.3000/- p.m.

Miscellaneous

1. Reservation in housing: The Chandigarh Housing Board has reserved 1% extra houses for blind and physically disabled ex-Servicemen.[18]
2. Assistance to persons with disabilities for purchase of aids/appliances: Financial assistance is provided to physically handicapped persons for purchase of aids/ appliances to increase their mobility[19] The quantum of assistance is decided ad valorem the income of the applicant. Monthly income of the applicant from all sources should not exceed Rs.8,000/-.[20] The applicant is entitled for the 100% cost on purchase of artificial limbs/ aids/ appliances subject to maximum of Rs.20,000/-.[21]

[1].Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Table 1: State-wise data of disabled population, as per Census 2001, available at http://socialjustice.nic.in/statewisedisabled.php (Last visited on June 17, 2013).

[2].Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Disability-wise number of persons with disabilities in the country as per the Census-2001, available at http://socialjustice.nic.in/disablewise.php (Last visited on June 17, 2013).

[3].Population Census 2011, Chandigarh Population Census data 2011, available at http://www.census2011.co.in/census/state/chandigarh.html (Last visited on June 17, 2013).

[4].Population Census 2011, Chandigarh Population Census data 2011, available at http://www.census2011.co.in/census/state/chandigarh.html (Last visited on June 17, 2013).

[5].Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Chandigarh- Assistance to Disabled Persons Scheme, available at http://socialjustice.nic.in/adipch.php (Last visited on June 17, 2013).

[6].Department of Social Welfare, Chandigarh, Welfare of Handicapped, available at http://chandigarh.nic.in/dept_social.htm (Last visited on June 17, 2013).

[7].Currently, physically handicapped persons get a transport (conveyance) allowance of Rs. 600 per month.

[8].Department of Social Welfare, Chandigarh, Welfare of Handicapped, available at http://chandigarh.nic.in/dept_social.htm (Last visited on June 17, 2013).

[9]. Chandigarh Administration, Grant of Transport (Conveyance) Allowance to Physically Handicapped Persons, available at http://admser.chd.nic.in/portal/nicut2/notification-nicut/Grant%20of%20Transport%20(Conveyance)%20Allowance%20to%20Physically%20Handicapped%20Persons.%20.pdf (Last visited on June 17, 2013).

[10]. Department of Transport, Chandigarh, Social Services, available at http://chandigarh.gov.in/dept_tpt.htm (Last visited on June 17, 2013).

[11]. Chandigarh Transport Undertaking, Citizen’s Charter, available at http://chandigarh.gov.in/citizen_char_ctu.htm (Last visited on June 17, 2013).

[12]. Department of Social Welfare, Chandigarh, Scholarship to disabled persons, available at http://chandigarh.nic.in/dept_social.htm (Last visited on June 17, 2013).

[13]. Sightsavers, Policies and Schemes of Central and State Governments for People with Disabilities, available at http://www.sightsaversindia.in/in_depth/policy_and_research/17581_Policies%20and%20Schemes%20of%20Central%20and%20State%20Governments%20for%20People%20with%20Disabilities.pdf (Last visited on June 17, 2013).

[14]. Chandigarh Administration, Employment, available at http://chandigarh.gov.in/dept_emp.htm (Last visited on June 17, 2013).

[15]. Id.

[16]. Disability India Network, Chandigarh, available at http://www.disabilityindia.co.in/useful-information/state.php#Chandigarh (Last visited on June 17, 2013).

[17]. Sightsavers, Policies and Schemes of Central and State Governments for People with Disabilities, available at http://www.sightsaversindia.in/in_depth/policy_and_research/17581_Policies%20and%20Schemes%20of%20Central%20and%20State%20Governments%20for%20People%20with%20Disabilities.pdf (Last visited on June 17, 2013).

[18]. Directorate General Resettlement, Department of Ex-Servicemen(Ministry of Defence), CONCESSIONS AND BENEFITS EXTENDED BY STATE GOVTS/UTS TO RETIRED AND SERVING DEFENCE PERSONNEL, available at  http://www.dgrindia.com/directorate/kbs13_30.html (Last visited on June 17, 2013).

[19]. Id.

[20]. Id.

[21]. Id.