Launched in 2016, the national project to convert disability certificates (DCs) into e-Unique Disability Identity cards (UDIDs) that aims to ensure Persons with disabilities (PwDs) avail all the Government benefits like pension irrespective of their domicile status is moving at a snail’s pace in almost all the States.
Data available as on October 9, 2018, from the Union Social Justice and Empowerment Ministry shows that a miniscule percentage ie 7 per cent of the total 1.44 crore PWDs having DCs have been issued the UDID cards.
The laggard States are Delhi, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Punjab, Telangana, Karnataka, Jharkhand, Bihar and almost all the Northeastern States which have either not started or taking their own time in issuing the UDIDs. (See Box) These States have sizeable population of PwDs.
However, five States-four BJP-ruled — Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Odisha, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh have comparatively fared better, reaching the double digit enrolment with Rajasthan leading the pack. Rajasthan has issued UDID cards to 61% of its PwDs population, followed by Madhya Pradesh (42%), Chhattisgarh (26%). Gujarat and Odisha are limping at 15% and 17% respectively.
With an 18-digit UDID number, the card is designed to reduce the duplicate and fake entries and ensure that benefits such as admission, employment and pensions reach the deserving beneficiaries. But the cards have not reached majority of the beneficiaries due to lack of awareness and updated data, admitted an official from the Ministry.
Clearly, the sector does not seem to be the priority for the States. The official pointed out that, in fact the PwDs population could be several times higher, firstly because of the widening of disability categories from seven to 21 as per the new Disability Act announced in 2016. Also, just less than 20-25% PwDs actually get the DCs.
Also, many families don’t acknowledge their presence while people and children suffering from involuntary body movements, Down’s Syndrome and multiple disabilities do not have an Aadhaar card, a mandatory document to get the UDID.