NEW DELHI: The Delhi government has not allocated additional funds for leprosy-affected people for the current financial year, as no new cases have been registered in city over the past two years, officials said. The rehabilitation centre in Tahirpur, once used to accommodate persons affected by leprosy, has remained vacant for several years.
Currently, beneficiaries under the “Welfare of Leprosy-Affected Persons” scheme receive Rs 3,000 per month. The scheme has been declared “closed,” meaning no new beneficiaries are being added, according to the Department of Social Welfare. In 2023-24, 378 beneficiaries were covered under the scheme, and the same number continue to receive support in 2024-25, as no new cases have been reported.
Under the 2024-25 budget, the Delhi government allocated Rs 1.65 crore to the scheme. Officials said the Tahirpur rehabilitation centre will be repaired and repurposed for other social welfare activities.
Leprosy, or Hansen’s disease, is a chronic infectious disease caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium leprae, affecting nerves, skin, eyes, and the respiratory tract.