BHUBANESWAR: The State government has prescribed a set of guidelines for issuance of identity card to persons with disabilities (PwDs). The ID cards will be issued for physical, neurological and visual impairments, intellectual disability and blood disorders.
As per the guidelines, the PwDs with disability perceptible to naked eye by qualified medical/ rehabilitation professionals authorised by the SSEPD department will be issued the ID cards.
The cards will be issued by competent authority who will make an assessment of cases to ascertain that they fall within the purview of persons with benchmark disabilities as per the provisions of the RPwD Act, 2016. No percentage of disability will be mentioned in the identity card and only provisional diagnosis, range and category of disability will be written on the cards.
However, the cards for cases of disabilities that require medical equipment and experts for diagnostics for detection will be issued by officers authorised by Health and Family Welfare department. "If any professional or authorised person is found issuing cards to persons not coming within the definition of PwDs or any unauthorised person found issuing cards will be prosecuted. If any one fraudulently avails or attempts to avail any benefit meant for PwDs will be punished according to the provision of law," said an official of the department.