BHUBANESWAR: The state government has amended the guidelines of Bhima Bhoi Bhinnakshyama Samarthya Abhiyan (BBSA) to expand the benefits for differently-abled persons and their families by raising the income eligibilty criteria.
The Social Security and Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (SSEPD) department stated that the amendments have been approved under the relevant provisions of the BBSA scheme guidelines and will come into force with immediate effect. Under the revised guidelines for the ‘Supply and Fitting of Aids and Appliances’ component, the annual family income ceiling for receiving assistive devices free of cost has been increased from Rs 2.40 lakh to Rs 5 lakh.
Beneficiaries from families earning between Rs 5 lakh and Rs 10 lakh annually will now be required to pay only 25 pc of the cost of aids and appliances, while those with income exceeding Rs 10 lakh will bear 50 pc of the cost.
The government has also relaxed the income eligibility criteria for scholarship for the children of differently-abled persons pursuing higher education. Earlier, only children of persons with disabilities from families with an annual income below Rs 2.40 lakh were eligible for scholarship assistance for studies beyond Class X. However, the amended guidelines have now raised it to Rs 5 lakh per annum. This will enable a significantly larger number of students avail the benefit.
The SSEPD department, however, said all other existing terms, eligibility conditions and operational guidelines of the BBSA Scheme will remain the same and continue to be governed by the parent notification.
The Bhima Bhoi Bhinnakshyama Samarthya Abhiyan is an umbrella welfare scheme of the SSEPD department, aimed at providing rehabilitation, disability certification, assistive devices, educational support and other welfare measures for differently-abled persons across the state.