Employment Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) – Measures
taken by Government to increase Employment Opportunities for Persons with
Disabilities (PWDs)
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 41
TO BE ANSWERED ON 04TH DECEMBER, 2023
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR PERSONS
WITH DISABILITIES (PWDS)
41. SHRI KARTI P.
CHIDAMBARAM :
Will the Minister of LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT be pleased to state:
(a) The measures
taken by the Government to increase employment opportunities for Persons With
Disabilities (PWDs);
(b) whether the
Government has made any progress towards tackling discrimination against PWDs
in public and private sector;
(c) whether the
Government has taken any steps to ensure that all PWDs, including those with
invisible disabilities, are given equal employment opportunities as their
able-bodied counterparts;
(d) whether the
Government has any plans to provide adequate employment opportunities for PWDs,
especially female PWDs in rural areas; and
(e) if so, the
details thereof?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE
FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT (SHRI RAMESWAR TELI)
(a) to (e)
:Department for Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD) implements the
National Action Plan (NAP) for skill development of Persons with Disabilities
(PwDs). Under the NAP, PwDs between age group of 15 and 59 years are provided
skill training with a view to make them self-reliant, productive member of the
society. In order to enhance the scope of skill training and to provide
employment opportunities to PwD, DEPwD has launched PM-DAKSH DEPwD Portal for
skill training in 250+ market driven courses and the Divyangjan Rozgar Setu
platform which provides geo tagged based information on employment/earning opportunities
within private companies across the country.
An incentive scheme
to the employers in private sectors for providing employment to PWDs was
introduced in the year 2007-08. The employer share of contribution in respect
of such employees and for such period is reimbursed to the Employees’ State
Insurance Corporation (ESIC) by the Central Government.
The Rights of
Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act, 2016 has a provision on
non-discrimination in employment. According to which, “No Government establishment
shall discriminate against any person with disability in any matter relating to
employment”.
The RPwD Act, 2016,
mandates for every appropriate Government to appoint in every Government
establishment, not less than four per cent of the total number of vacancies in
the cadre strength in each group of posts meant to be filled with persons with
benchmark disabilities.
Ministry of Labour
and Employment has been facilitating vocational rehabilitation services to PWDs
through 24 National Career Service Centres for Differently Abled across the
country. Aforesaid measures are aimed at providing employment opportunities to
PwDs including female PwDs in rural areas also.
Besides, employment
generation coupled with improving employability is the priority of the
Government. Accordingly, the Government of India has taken various steps for
generating employment in the country, including persons with disabilities like:
Aatmanirbhar Bharat Rojgar Yojana (ABRY), Prime Minister Street Vendor’s Atma
Nirbhar Nidhi Scheme (PM SVANidhi Scheme), Prime Minister’s Employment
Generation Programme (PMEGP), Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment
Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), Pt. Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana
(DDU-GKY) and Deen Dayal Antodaya Yojana-National Urban Livelihoods Mission
(DAY-NULM) etc.
Further, the
Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) is implementing the
National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS) and Pradhan Mantri Kaushal
Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) to enhance the employability of youth including PwD
candidates. Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojna (PMKVY) for Skill based training
of the youth across the country including PwDs.
Besides these
initiatives, various flagship programmes of the Government such as Make in
India, Start-up India, Stand-up India, Digital India, Housing for All etc. are
also oriented towards generating employment opportunities including PwDs.
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