Concessions and Facilities for Disabled Employees

Concessions and Facilities Provided by Central Government
The Central Government have provided some facilities and concessions for the benefit of disabled people to integrate them into the mainstream. The facilities and concessions are:
1. Scheme of Integrated Education
2. Job Reservation in Government Sector
3. Economic Assistance
4. Welfare Schemes
5. Travel Concessions
Schemes for Integrated Education: The scheme of Integrated Education for the Disabled Children (IEDC) is a Centrally sponsored scheme and is being implemented by the Department of Secondary and Higher Education under the Ministry of Human Resource Development since 1982. Under this scheme, children with disabilities are encouraged to be integrated in the normal school system.
States and Union Territories (UTs) are provided assistance for education of the children with disabilities in general schools. The assistance provided includes the provision of necessary aids, incentives and specially trained teachers. A three- member team comprising of a doctor, a psychologist and a special educator is formed for assessment of the disability among school going children. The target groups covered under this scheme includes:
1. Children with locomotor handicaps (Orthopaedically Handicapped (O.H.))
2. Mildly and moderately hearing impaired.
3. Partially sighted children.
4. Mentally handicapped-educable group (IQ 50-70)
5. Children with multiple disabilities (visual and orthopaedic impairment; hearing and orthopaedic impairment; educable mentally retarded and orthopaedic impairment; visual and mild hearing impairment)
6. Children with learning disabilities.
The following monetary allowances are permitted for the disabled children under this scheme:
Books and Stationery allowance of Rs.400/- per annum.
Uniform allowance of Rs.50/-per annum.
Transport allowance of Rs.50/- per month (if a disabled child admitted under the scheme resides is in a hostel of the school within the school premises, no transportation charges would be admissible).
Reader allowance of Rs.50/- per month in case of blind children after class V. Escort allowance for severely handicapped children with lower extremity disabilities @ Rs.75/- per month.
Actual cost of equipment subject to a maximum of Rs.2000/- per student for a period of five years.
Other Concessions:

1. In the case of severe degree of orthopaedically handicapped children, it may be necessary to allow one attendant for 10 children in a school. The attendant may be given the standard scale of pay prescribed for Group D employees in the State/U.T. concerned.
2. Disabled children residing in hostels within the same school where they are studying may get boarding & lodging charges as admissible under the state government regulations. In case there is no state scheme of awarding scholarship to such hostel residents, then each one of them is eligible to receive the actual boarding & lodging charges subject to a maximum of Rs.200/- per month. This allowance does not apply if the income of the parents exceed Rs.3000/- p.m.
3. Severe orthopaedically handicapped children residing in school hostels may need a helper or an Ayah. A special pay of Rs.50/- p.m. is admissible to any employee of the hostel willing to extend such help to the children in addition to the usual duties.
4. If there are at least 10 handicapped children enrolled in a school located in a rural area, then an allowance of Rs.300/-p.m. is allowed so as to meet the expenses of their free transportation by a rickshaw. This allowance also covers the capital cost of the rickshaw and labour charges of rickshaw puller. No individual transport allowance is then admissible for the students.
5. Grant of education allowance to the children &reimbursement of the tuition fee for Central Government employees will be governed by the Central Civil Services (Education Assistance) Orders, 1988. Under this order, the reimbursement of tuition fee in respect of physically handicapped and mentally retarded children of the Central government employees has been enhanced to Rs.50 p.m. (from class I to XII) in comparison to the general category where it is only Rs.20.p.m. The disabled children will, however, get other assistance under this scheme as per rates prescribed for the normal children

Scholarships/ Fellowships for Disabled Persons:
Scholarships for disabled persons from class IX onwards have been transferred to state and union territory administration. The scholarships under this scheme are limited to a maximum period of 6 years after class XII. Income limit of parents/ guardians of the candidates should not be more than Rs. 2000 per month. In addition to monthly scholarships the candidates are also eligible to receive Readers Allowance.
The University Grants Commission has reserved 1% of the fellowships allocated to the universities for the handicapped.
Job Reservation in Government Sector under PWD Act- 1995. Since 1977 Government establishments are providing 3% reservation for the disabled in respect of Group C and Group D posts. After the enactment of the PWD Act, this reservation has also been extended in Group A and B identified posts. Identification of posts for persons with disabilities in all four groups has already been done in 1986 by the central government.
A committee was set up to modify the identification of posts in view of the PWD Act 1995. Identification of the posts has been completed. As per the order of government of India, reservation of 3% in jobs has been made in the identified posts for the physically handicapped persons in all the four Grades. One percent jobs each has been reserved for blind, deaf and orthopaedically handicapped. For effective implementation of the reservation it has been advised to maintain a roaster of vacancies arising on a yearly basis.
In this way every Ist, 34th & 67th vacancy is earmarked for the disabled in the cycle of 100 vacancies. A Committee has already identified appropriate posts for the physically disabled. The other concessions include.
In order to implement these reservations without loss of productivity, some posts are identified disability wise.
Disabled persons recruited for regional Grade C and Grade D posts may be given their posting (as far as possible) near their native place in that region subject to the administrative constraints. PH employees may be given preference in transfer near their native place.
The ban on filling up of non-operational vacant posts will not be applicable for reserve vacancies to be filled up by PH persons. If a reserve category of person is not available and the nature of vacancy in an office is such, it may be carried forward for a period of three subsequent years.
It has been instructed that recaning of chairs in government offices should be reserved for blind persons as far as possible. When the volume of work require a full time chair caner then a suitable post may be created in consultation with the finance department.
For the purpose of recaning the chairs in government offices, vocational rehabilitation centres and special employment exchange for the PH persons may be contacted. All the vacancies irrespective of their nature and duration are to be notified to the employment exchange and required to be filled through this agency unless they are filled through UPSC/SSC.
It has also been decided that all of the appointees should send their request to Employment Exchange/Special Employment Exchange/nearest Vocational Rehabilitation Centres for P.H. for nominating suitably handicapped persons to fulfil specific opportunities.
Extension of the age concession/ relaxation upwards by 10 years in favour of handicapped persons. This applies to posts filled through the SSC and through Employment Exchange.
Physically Handicapped persons who are otherwise eligible for appointment to posts of Lower Division Clark but cannot be so appointed due to their inability to satisfy the typing qualifications may be exempted from this requirement.

Physically Handicapped persons recruited to Grade. B and Grade. C posts advertised by the UPSC and SSC will be exempted from the payment of application and examination fee as prescribed by UPSC/SSC. Physically Handicapped persons with disability of upper or lower extremities are to be grated conveyance allowance at 5% of basic pay. Under the All India Service (Special Disability Leave) Regulation, 1957, special leave may be granted to a member of the service employee who suffers a disability as a result of risk of office or special risk of office. The special leave is subject to certain conditions.

Other Benefits:
Air Travel Concessions Indian Airlines allow 50% concession fares to blind persons on single journeys. Postage Payment of postage, both inland and foreign, for transmission by post of 'Blind Literature' packets is exempted if sent by surface route. Customs/Excise Braille paper has been exempted from excise and customs duty provided the paper is supplied direct to a school for the blind or to a Braille press against an indent placed by the National Institute for the Visually Handicapped, Dehradun.
All audiocassettes recorded with material from books, newspapers or magazines for the blind are exempt from custom duty. Several other items have also been exempted from customs duty if imported for the use of a disabled person.
Conveyance Allowance All central government employees who are blind or orthopedically handicapped are granted conveyance at 5 per cent of basic pay subject to a maximum of Rs. 100 per month.
Educational Allowance Reimbursement of tuition fee of physically and mentally handicapped children of the Central government employees has been enhanced to Rs. 50/-.

Rate of Interest:
Keeping in view the social objective the interest will uniformly be charged 4% p.a. Physically Handicapped persons are eligible under DRI scheme for loan to purchase artificial limbs, hearing aids, wheelchairs etc., subject to maximum of Rs. 2500/- per borrower provided such assistance is given alongwith the advances for productive activities and self employment ventures and all other requirements under DRI scheme are fulfilled.
Under the scheme of “Financing Small Scale Industries”, a special provision has been made to allow concession of ?% in the interest to the physically handicapped availing working capital limit above Rs.2500/- and upto Rs. 2 lakhs.

Income Tax Concession :
The amount of deduction from total income of a person with blindness, mental retardation or permanent physical disability has been increased to Rs. 40,000/-.

80DD (Deductions in respect of medical treatment, etc., of handicapped persons):Where an assessee who is resident in India, being an individual of a Hindu Undivided family has, during the previous year, included any expenditure for the medical treatment (including nursing), training and rehabilitation of a person who:
is a relative of the individual or, as the case may be, is a member of the Hindu undivided family and is not dependent on any person other than such individual or Hindu undivided family for his support or maintenance, and is suffering from a permanent physical disability (including blindness) or is subject to mental retardation, being a permanent physical disability or mental retardation specified in the rules made in this behalf by the Board, which is certified by a physician, a surgeon, an oculist or a psychiatrist, as the case be, working in a government hospital, and which has the effect of reducing considerably such person's capacity for normal work or engaging in a gainful employment or occupation.
The assessee shall, in accordance with and subject to the provisions of this section, be allowed a deduction of a sum of Rupees fifteen thousand only (Rs. 15,000/-) in respect of the previous year.Explanation: for the purpose of this section, "Government Hospital" includes a departmental dispensary whether full time or part time established and run by a Department of the Government for the medical attendance and treatment of a class or classes of Government Servants and members of their families, a hospital maintained by the local authority and any other hospital which arrangements have been made by the Government for the treatment of Government servants.

80 DDA (Deduction in respect of deposit made for maintenance of handicapped dependent):
1. In computing the total income of an assessee who is resident in India, being an individual or a hindu undivided family, there shall be deduction, in accordance with and subject to the provisions of this section, an amount not exceeding twenty thousand rupees (Rs.20,000) paid or deposited by him in the previous year out of his income chargeable to tax, under any scheme framed in this behalf by the Life Insurance Corporation or the Unit Trust of India subject to the conditions specified in sub-section (2) and approved by the board in this behalf.
2. The deduction under sub-section (94) shall be allowed only if the following conditions are fulfilled, namely:
3. The scheme referred to in sub-section (1) provided for payment of annunity or lump sum amount for the benefit of a handicapped dependant in the event of the death of the individual or the member of the Hindu undivided family in whose name subscription to the scheme has been made;
4. The assessee nominates either the handicapped dependant or any other person or a trust to receive the payment on his behalf, or the benefit of the handicapped dependent.
5. If the handicapped dependant predeceases the individual or the Hindu undivided family referred to in sub section (2), an amount equal to the amount paid or deposited under sub-section (1) shall be deemed to be the income of the assessee of the previous year in which such amount is received by the assessee and shall accordingly be chargeable to tax as the income of that previous year.
6. In this section:
7. "Government hospital" shall have the meaning assigned to it in the explanation to section 80 DD;
8. "Handicapped dependent" shall mean a person who is a relative of the individual or, as the case may be, is a member of the Hindu undivided family and is not dependant on any person other than such individual or Hindu undivided family for his support or maintenance; and who is suffering from a permanent physical disability(including blindness) or is subject to mental retardation, being a permanent physical disability or mental retardation specified in the rules made by the Board for the purposes of section 80DD, which is certified by a physician, a surgeon, an oculist or a psychiatrist, as the case may be, working in a Government hospital, and which has the effect of refusing considerably such persons capacity for normal work or engaging in a gainful employment or occupation.
"Life Insurance Corporation" shall have the same meaning as in clause (iii) of sub section of section 88. "Unit Trust of India" means The Unit Trust of India established under the Unit Trust of India Act, 1963 (52 of 1963).

80 DDB (Deduction in respect of medical treatment etc):
Where an assessee who is resident in India has, during the previous year, incurred any expenditure for the medical treatment of such disease or ailment as may be specified in the rules "made in this behalf by the Board.
for himself or a dependent relative, in case the assessee is an individual or for any member of a Hindu undivided family, in case the assessee is a Hindu undivided family, the assessee shall be allowed a deduction of a sum of rupees fifteen thousand rupees only (Rs. 15,000) in respect of that previous year in which such expenditure was incurred:
Provided that no such deduction shall allowed unless the assessee furnishes a certificate in such form 66b and from such authority as may be prescribed 66c Explanation - For the purpose of this section, "dependent" means a person who is not dependent for his support or maintenance on any person other than the assessee.

80U (Deduction in respect of permanent disability (including blindness) :
In computing the total income of an individual, being a resident, who, at the end of the previous year is suffering from a permanent physical disability or mental retardation specified in the rules made in this behalf by the board, which is certified by a physician, a surgeon, an oculist or a psychiatrist, as the case may be, working in a Government hospital, and which has the effect of reducing considerably such individual's capacity for normal work or engaging in a gainful employment or occupation, they shall be allowed a deduction of a sum of forty thousand rupees (Rs.40,000).
Provided that such individual produces the aforesaid certificate before the Assessing Officer in respect of the first assessment year for which he claims deduction under this section:
Provided further that the requirment of producing the aforesaid certificate from a physician, a surgeon, an oculist or a psychiatrist, as the case may be, working in a Government hospital shall not apply to an individual who has already a certificate before the Assessing Officer under the provisions of this section as they stood immediately before the 1st day of April,1992.
Explanation : For the purposes of this section, the expression "Government hospital" shall have the meaning assigned to it in the explanation to section 80DD.

88B (Rebate of Income tax in case of individuals of 65 years and above):
An assesse, being an individual resident in India, who is of the age of sixty five years or more at any time during the previous year and whose gross total income does not exceed one hundred and twenty thousand rupees, shall be entitled to a deduction from the amount of income tax (as computed before allowing the deductions under this Chapter) on his total income with which he is chargeable for any assessment year, of amount equal to 40% of such income-tax.
Explanation: For the purposes of this section a, "Gross total income" means the total income computed in accordance with the provisions of this Act, before making any deduction under Chapter VI-A.
The following section 88B shall be substituted for the existing section 88B by the Finance Act, 1997, w.e.f. 1.4.1998;

88B (Rebate of income tax in case of individuals of 65 years and above) :
An Assessee, being an individual resident in India, who is of the age of sixty-five years or more at any time during the previous year shall be entitled to a deduction from the amount of income tax (as computed before allowing the deductions under this Chapter) on his total income, with which he is chargeable for any assessment year, of an amount equal to hundred per cent of such income tax or an amount of ten thousand rupees only (Rs.10,000), whichever is less.
Posting Candidates with Physical handicaps, appointed on a regional basis be given as far as possible, appointments as close to their native place. Economic Assistance by Public Sector Banks All orphanages, homes for women and persons with physical handicaps as well as institutions working for the welfare of the handicapped, are given loans and advances at very low rates of interest (4% under DRI) and a subsidy of 50% up to a maximum of Rs. 5,000/- is also admissible.
State Governments/Union Territories also give concessions/facilities such as reservation in jobs, scholarships, old age pension, free travel in buses, etc.



Funding scheme for special schools A grant-in-aid scheme for voluntary organisations to develop institutes that serve to provide educational and social oppurtunities for persons with disability. Special Employment Exchanges for the Physically Handicapped is set up in all State Capitals and Special cells for the handicapped is set up in district head quarters through which circulation of vacancies for the handicapped in Group “C” and “D” posts of state/central Govt. is made.
Handicapped who register for employment with special employment Exchange/ special cell will be intimated of the vacancy and sponsored for interview/selection etc. Where there are no special employment exchanges for the handicapped, the special cells for the handicapped are established in the Employment Exchanges.
Handicapped can avail the benefit through registering at this centers. Also there are Vocational Rehabilitation Centres established in 17 places through out the country who also registers such cases for employment. Hence all the handicapped shall register their names with such centers for employment.

QUANTUM OF RESERVATION Reservation for the Persons with Disabilities
Three percent of the vacancies in case of direct recruitment to Group A, B, C & D posts shall be reserved for persons with disabilities of which one per cent each shall be reserved for persons suffering from
(i) blindness or low vision,
(ii) hearing impairment and
(iii) locomotor disability or cerebral palsy in the posts identified for each disability;
Three percent of the vacancies in case of promotion to Group D, and Group C posts in which the element of direct recruitment, if any, does not exceed 75%, shall be reserved for persons with disabilities of which one per cent each shall be reserved for persons suffering from
(i) blindness or low vision,
(ii) hearing impairment and
(iii) locomotor disability or cerebral palsy in the posts identified for each disability.