Govt announces monthly aid of Rs 6K to caregivers of persons with disabilities

New Delhi: The Delhi government on Tuesday announced a special financial assistance scheme for caregivers of

persons with disabilities requiring high support, aiming to

provide them and their families with economic relief and social security.

Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said eligible persons with disabilities will receive Rs 6,000 every month to cover the cost of caregivers, therapy, assistive devices, counselling, and other essential services. The financial assistance will be credited directly into the beneficiaries’ Aadhaar-linked bank accounts.

The chief minister said the scheme was approved in a previous Delhi Cabinet meeting and will be inaugurated by Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s birthday. “Persons with disabilities are an integral part of our society and have the right to live with dignity and self-reliance. This scheme will ensure that they and their families do not feel neglected or helpless due to disability,” she said.

The scheme applies to individuals with at least 40 per cent disability and who are certified as requiring high support with a score between 60 and 100 by the district-level assessment board, according to a statement.

Applicants must be residents of Delhi for at least five years and come from families with an annual income not exceeding Rs 1 lakh. Aadhaar-based verification is mandatory, it stated.

As per the statement, beneficiaries can register and apply through the e-District portal. Applications will be processed by the district social welfare officer and verified by the assessment board. Gupta said the scheme is not only about financial aid but also about enabling greater social participation and self-reliance for persons with disabilities. “This initiative will provide dignity and security, as well as psychological and emotional support. We want persons with disabilities to be seen not just as objects of compassion but as respected and active members of society,” she added.

The scheme is expected to ease the financial burden of care and treatment, which many families have struggled to meet, the statement added.