Short Note: Inclusive India Initiative

Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment in collaboration with key partners had organised a conference called Inclusive India Initiative: Towards an Inclusive India, for addressing intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDs).

Features

• The ‘Inclusive India Initiative’ is an initiative of National Trust. The initiative aims to cater to the persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
• The objective of the imitative is to include people with disabilities in the mainstream as well as in all important aspects of social life, namely education, employment etc.
• The initiative attempts to bring about change in attitudes, and attempt to facilitate the realisation of equal opportunities, protection of rights and full participation of people with disabilities.
• The three core focus areas of the initiative are Inclusive Education, Inclusive Employment and Inclusive Community Life.

Outcomes

• A vision document on ‘Inclusive India Initiative’ was released in the conference.
• A few MoUs were signed by the National Trust with key partners.
• The initative is expected to engage with at least 2000 corporate sector organisations; both public and private, for creating awareness towards employing persons with disabilities in the current financial year.
• The conference stressed on the need to make use of all 10 schemes of the national trust:
  • DISHA: Early Intervention and School Readiness Scheme
  • VIKAAS: Day care scheme for persons with autism, cerebral palsy, mental retardation and multiple disabilities.
  • SAMARTH: It offers respite home for orphans, families in crisis, Persons with Disabilities (PwD) from BPL etc.
  • GHARAUNDA: Group home for adults with Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Mental Retardation and Multiple Disabilities.
  • NIRMAYA: Health Insurance Scheme providing cover up to 1 lakh.
  • SAHIYOGI: Caregiver training scheme to care for Person with Disabilities (PwD) and their families.
  • GYAN PRABHA: Educational support for pursuing educational/ vocational courses.
  • PRERNA: Marketing assistance scheme for sale of products produced by persons with disabilities.
  • SAMBHAV: Scheme to collect and collate aids and assistive devices.
  • BADHTE KADAM: scheme aimed at creating community awareness, sensitisation, social integration and mainstreaming of
    disabled persons.

National Trust

The National Trust is a statutory body functioning under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. The trust was set up under the “National Trust for the Welfare of Persons with Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Retardation and Multiple Disabilities” Act. Its core mission is to provide opportunities for capacity development of Persons with Disabilities and their families. It works towards creating an inclusive society and facilitate the creation of an enabling environment.