The differently-abled in Odisha have availed of various schemes run by Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment in a big way. Strikingly, all southern states also fared better on that front.
According to the ministry data available with Express, a total of 22,871 people in Odisha received assistance under the Scheme of Assistance to Disabled Persons for Purchase/ Fitting of Aids/ Appliances (ADIP) during the 2009-10 and 2010-11 period. The ministry is yet to receive statistics from the implementing agencies for the 2011-12 period.
Under the ADIP scheme, funds are released to the states to assist the differently-abled in buying scientifically manufactured modern standard aids and appliances that would promote their physical, social and psychological rehabilitation.
The beneficiaries in Odisha hailed mostly from Ganjam, Cuttack, Khordha, Puri, Balasore, Jajapur, Bhadrak, Bargarh, Sundergarh, Kendrapara, Kendujhar, Kalahandi, Balangir, Anugul, Dhenkanal, Sambalpur, Nabarangpur, Jagatsinghpur, Koraput, Nayagarh, Rayagada, Jharsuguda, Naupada, Gajapati, Sonapur, Debagarh, Malkangiri and Mayurbhanj.
In Tamil Nadu, there were 16,511 ADIP beneficiaries during the same period. They were from Dharmapuri, Erode, Villupuram, Cuddalore, Perambalur, Virudhunagar, Kancheepuram, Nagapattinam, Salem, Chennai, Coimbatore, Dindigul, Kanyakumari, Krishnagiri, Madurai, Nagapattinam, the Nilgiris, Pudukkotai and Ramanathapuram.
A total of 13,922 differently-abled from Andhra Pradesh also benefited from the ADIP scheme in 2009-10 and 2010-11 period. The beneficiaries were mostly from East Godavari, Guntur, Nalgonda, Krishna, Vishakhapatnam, Warangal, Mahbubnagar, Kurnool, Anantapur, Khammam, West Godavari, Karimnagar, Rangareddy, Chittoor, Hyderabad, Srikakulam, Nellore, Vizianagaram, Prakasam, Medak, Kadapa, Nizamabad and Adilabad. At least 7,896 people benefited in Karnataka under the ADIP scheme. The beneficiaries hailed mostly from Bangalore, Tumkur, Kolar, Mysore, Bellary, Davangere, Bagalkot, Chikmagalur, Raichur, Udupi, Kodagu and Madhugiri.