Higher education among the most neglected benefits extended to disabled

According to official figures,the Department of Social Defence has spent over Rs 1,457 lakh for the Sant Surdas Pension scheme,Rs 1,171 lakh for free travel,while expenditure on higher education for disabled children has been Rs 45,000 for the year 2008-2009. But only 18 people have benefited from the scheme as per the records.

Till March 2009,the Primary and Secondary education for disabled children was covered under IEDC before being withdrawn.

R P Gupta,Secretary,Primary Education,and a former IEDC Director said: “Secondary education for disabled children after the winding up of the scheme will be covered by an alternative scheme (IEDSS). An alternative scheme for primary education is being considered after our continuous follow-up.”

But the exact status of the implementation of the secondary level education scheme for the disabled is unclear as no officer has been appointed specifically for looking after the new scheme. Dharmesh Lehuva,a member of the Special Teachers Association said: “No alternative scheme has started as of now and the IEDSS scheme is yet to be launched.”

Among the other neglected schemes are the Disabled Widows Housing Schema and the Polio Surgery and Rehabilitation Scheme.

Under the Disabled Widows Housing Scheme,a total of Rs 7.46 lakh was spent on 46 beneficiaries while Rs 13.9 lakh was spent on the 397 beneficiaries under the Polio Surgery and Rehabilitation scheme.