BHUBANESWAR: Odisha seems to be lagging behind in providing information on Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) for issuing Universal Disability Identity (UDID) cards. The unique ID card will not only encourage transparency, efficiency and ease of delivering Government benefits to PwDs but also ensure uniformity and enable the beneficiaries to avail common services.
While more than 85,000 PwDs in the State have registered online through the dedicated website www.swavlambancard.gov.in to avail the UDID card, only around 16,000 cards have been issued in the last six months.
As the disability certificates issued by the State Government are not valid in other States, the Centre has started the process to issue UDID cards which will be valid in all departments across the country.
The UDID card, to be linked with Aadhaar number, will do away with the need to maintain and carry multiple documents or cards by the differently-abled people. The card will have all the necessary details that can be decoded with the help of a scanner.
Odisha is among 15 States where the UDID project is being implemented in the first phase. The project aims at creating a National database of PwDs and issuing unique disability identity card to each PwD. The project will also help in streamlining the process of tracking physical and financial progress of beneficiary at all levels of implementation - from village to block and district levels to State and National level. Sources said, the UDID cards have not been issued as the authorities are yet to get detailed information on the applicants. The card can only be issued after proper assessment of disability of the applicants by the medical authorities concerned at district headquarters and other hospitals.
Perturbed over delay in getting information, Principal Secretary of Department of Social Security and Empowerment of PwDs Niten Chandra has urged the Health Secretary to issue instructions to the health officials for timely assessment of disability and submission of online data through the UDID portal.
“It is noticed that the online applications are kept pending for a long time owing to non-assessment of the disabled beneficiaries by the medical authorities concerned resulting in delay in submission of required details for generation of the cards,” he observed.
The Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act, 2016 clearly enjoins expeditious ‘certification of disabilities’ and also carries penalties for contravention of such provision of the Act. Officials at the district level will be dealt seriously if further delay is noticed, he added.
Slow progress
Over 85,000 PwDs have registered online through the website www.swavlambancard.gov.in to avail UDID card
Only around 16,000 cards have been issued in the last six months
The project will help in streamlining the process of tracking physical and financial progress of beneficiary at all levels of implementation