Karnataka

Facilities and concessions in Karnataka

1. Concerned officer

The Director,
Deptt. of Welfare for the Disabled,
Podium Block, G.Floor, Dr. B.R.Ambedkar
Veedi, Bangalore 560 001

2. Reservation

In Government Jobs: 5% of vacancies in all Government Departments and Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) are reserved for the disabled persons, along with concessions like age relaxation of 10 years and relaxation of economy orders. The post of Music Teacher in Government Schools is reserved for the Visually Impaired.

In Allotment of shops: Some shops in municipal market are reserved for P.H. persons. In Engineering College : 20 seats in Diploma and 15 seats in B.E. courses are reserved for disabled students.

3. Age relaxation

The upper age limit is relaxed by 10 years for disabled persons for applying in Government jobs.

4. Scholarship / stipend

Scholarship is given to disabled students studying from 1st. Standard to University level as per the following rate:

(The income of the parents should not exceed Rupees 10,000 for granting Scholarship for Ist Standard to VIIIth Standard and Rupees 24,000 from IXth Standard onwards).

• Orthopaedically disabled students get maintenance allowance for Prosthetic and Orthotic aids @ Rupees 25 P.M.
• Transport allowance is also given to the OH students at the following rate :
  Upto VIII standard - Rupees 15 P.M
  From IX standard - Rupees 50 per month

5. Maintenance allowance

Through Taluk Tahasildars, an amount of Rupees 75 p.m. is given to the disabled person whose income is less than Rupees 6,000 per annum.

6. Disability pension / Social Security pension

Disabled persons whose family income is less than Rupees 6,000 per annum are entitled for maintenance of Rupees 75 P.M. In the budget speech of 1997-98 this amount has been enhanced to Rupees 100 per month.

7. Conveyance allowance

Disabled Government employees get conveyance allowance to the extent of 6% of their basic subject to the maximum of Rupees 100 per month.

8. Bus concession

Free travel facility is provided to blind persons in Government buses.

9. Seed Money Scheme for disabled entrepreneurs

The disabled entrepreneurs can get a loan upto Rupees 50,000 from Karnataka State Finance Corporation for which a subsidy of 25% subject to maximum of Rupees 6,250 is given.

10. Assistance for self-employment to disabled persons (Adhara)

This scheme aims at the economic rehabilitation of disabled persons one petty shop worth Rupees 5,000 and a working loan ofRupees 5,000 is given to the disabled persons through the D.C.'s of the district.

11. Awards / Sports / Seminars

(a) State Award : The Government of Karnataka has instituted a State Award for the best work done for the cause of disabled, for one individual and institution every year. These awards are given on 3rd December on the World Day of Disabled.

(b) Incentive/Award to Disabled Students : Incentive/Award are given to the disabled students who have secured more than 60% marks in public exams like SSLC, PUC, Degree etc. The details of the incentives are as follows:

SSLC - Rupees 500
PUC - Rupees 700
Degree Course - Rupees 1000

12. Exemption in professional tax / road tax

Disabled employees are exempted from payment of professional tax.

13. Assistance for purchase of aids and appliances

Under this scheme aids and appliances like tricycles, Hearing Aids, Braille Watches, etc. are supplied to the disabled persons. In the case of disabled persons whose family income is less than Rupees 8,000 the entire cost of aids is given and in cases where the family income is between Rupees 8,000 to Rupees 12,000 only 50% of the cost of aids and appliances is given.

14. Training, Rehabilitation Schemes, Social Security Schemes and Public Awareness Schemes

a) Training

• Training Cum Production Centre : This scheme is a step forward in providing self-employment to the disabled. This is an institutional programmme for training-cum-production. The selected NGO's will get financial support for three years towards training and setting up a production unit. The person with disability can take up any feasible production activity.
• Vocational Rehabilitation Centre : The Vocational Rehabilitation Centre of Government of India provides Vocational Training to disabled persons. This department also gives grants to Vocational Training Centres at Mysore, Bidar, Bijapur and Bangalore.
• Job Training to Disabled Youth : With a view to provide gainful employment to disabled youth, it is proposed to give training to disabled youth in trades like Pump set Repairing, Motor Winding, Garment Manufacturing etc., through institutions like Rural Development and Self Employment Training Institute (RUDSETI).
• Industrial Training Centre, Mysore : This centre is run by a Voluntary Organisation receiving 100% grants from the State Government. This Centre imparts Vocational Training to visually impaired persons.
• Training of Resource Teacher for Integrated Education : Under this scheme training in Integrated Education is given to teachers and staff of normal and special schools.

b) Rehabilitation Schemes

• District Rehabilitation Centre, Mysore : The DRC is a Government of India Scheme which undertakes identification of disabilities, medical intervention and rehabilitation measures in Mysore district.
• Prevention, Early Detection and Intervention Programme : This schemes undertakes prevention of disability measures, early detection and intervention programmes to minimise the distressing effects of disability. The scheme is implemented through NGO's.

c) Social Security Schemes

• Social Service Complex, Bangalore : This institution provides protection/care and shelter with food and health care to the aged/infirm and disabled persons who are destitutes.
• Hostel for Disabled Employees and Trainees : There are two hostels at Bangalore, one for men and the other for women. The disabled trainees and employees are given admission whose income limit is less than Rupees 18,000 per annum.
• Voluntary Organisations for care of the old, infirm and disabled (GIA): Under the State Government scheme the NGO's are given financial assistance to run old age homes for the aged persons and provide them food, care and shelter. This department also recommends proposal of NGO's for grants to Government of India to run old age homes.
• Schemes for promotion of cultural activities and sports for persons with disabilities : Under this scheme financial assistance is given to disabled persons to undertake sports and cultural activities and also to institutions for conducting sports and cultural activities for disabled persons.
• Insurance Scheme for Parents of M.R Persons : The life of parents/guardians of M.R Persons are insured by the Department after whose death the mentally retarded persons will receive a monthly annuity for maintenance

d) Public Awareness Schemes

• World Day of Disabled : The Uinted Nations has declared 3rd December as World Day of Disabled which is observed all over the State by conducting various programmes and activities to create public awareness.
• Public Awareness Schemes : The aim of this scheme is to create public awareness regarding prevention, early detection and intervention of disabilities and also about the schemes, services etc., available to disabled persons from the State Government, Central Government and NGO's. Under the scheme expenditure is incurred on production of documentaries, T.V quickies, conducting seminars and conferences, workshops, publication of materials etc.
• Setting up of Information & Counselling Service Centre : Under this new scheme it is proposed to set up counselling and information service centre in the directorate to provide information to disabled persons regarding facilities and schemes available under State and Central Government, Counselling services regarding jobs, Vocational training and Educational services etc.

15. Other concessions / facilities

• Community Based Rehabilitation (CBR) : This new Scheme is a service delivery system. C.B.R is essentially a programme based on the initiative of the disabled person and the community. It is proposed to take up this programme on pilot basis in two districts.
• Issue of Identity Cards to Disabled Persons : Under this scheme, identity cards signed by the Deputy Commissioner in different colours for each disability is given to disabled persons to enable them to get the facilities available to them easily.
• Grant-in-aid to NGOs running Special Schools : Under this scheme, 100% salary for teaching staff and 50% salary for non- teaching and Rupees 60 per month maintenance allowance is given to each disabled children residing in residential special schools. There are about 30 Special Schools run by Voluntary Organisations receiving grants from the State Government and about 100 receiving grants from the Government of India.
• Schools for the Deaf : There are 4 Schools run by the State Government for the Deaf children at Gulbarga, Mysore, Bellary and Belgaum.
• Schools for the Blind : There are 4 Schools for the Blind run by the State Government at Gulbarga, Mysore, Davangere and Hubli
• Exemption from passing TCH exam: Blind persons are exempted from passing TCH qualification for becoming teacher in blind school.
• Exemption from Departmental Exam : Blind persons are exempted from State Government Departmental Exams.
• Exemption in Second and Third Languages: Deaf children who are studying in VII Std., are exempted from Second and Third languages.
• Sound Library: The text books of PUC and B.A Degree Courses in humanities subjects are recorded in Audio Cassettes and given to the blind students along with Tape-Recorder (Returnable) in order to encourage education among the visually impaired.
• Braille Press - Mysore : Braille books required by the blind students are supplied by the Government Braille Printing Press at Mysore.
• Supply of Telephone Booths to Disabled Persons : Under this scheme, Telephone Booths are given to the disabled persons for economic rehabilitation.