New Delhi: The Delhi government on Tuesday announced a special financial assistance scheme of Rs 6,000 for persons with disabilities requiring high support, to cover the cost of caregivers, therapy, assistive devices, counselling and other essential services. The assistance is separate from the existing state disability pension of Rs 2,500, which has been in place since 2017. The announcement has been welcomed as a progressive step, but experts remain divided on how effective it will be once implemented.
Restricted to families earning under Rs 1 lakh a year, the scheme risks missing much of Delhi’s disabled population. “Nobody can live in Delhi under Rs 1 lakh,” said Kapil Kumar Aggarwal, founder of Viklang Sahara Samiti (VSS), noting even slum households cross that mark. He argued the bar should be raised to at least Rs 2–2.5 lakh to reflect minimum wages. Dr SK Prasad, director of the National Centre for Disability Studies at IGNOU backed the need for an income ceiling as a safeguard but admitted a higher threshold would bring more people in. Neither expert endorsed making the aid universal, but both their comments suggest that the scheme’s impact will be limited. Aggarwal warned that paperwork and bureaucracy could blunt the scheme’s impact. “If you already receive Rs 2,500 as disability pension, you cannot even apply for this scheme,” he pointed out, noting that previous pension holders are barred from switching to the new aid. Further, requirements like five years of residence proof and extensive documentation could delay benefits; VSS has seen cases take one to two years under current schemes, he revealed.
Prasad said the scheme could make a tangible difference for people struggling even to secure two meals a day. “Delhi already spends more on disability welfare than other states”, he said, adding that disability rights and welfare have improved steadily over the years. Citing the 5% higher education reservation under the RPwD Act as an example, he added that the new Rs 6,000 assistance is another welcome step forward. Yet, he stressed, that without reliable data on the total number of disabled residents, the scheme’s reach remains uncertain. While the Rs 6,000 assistance marks progress in Delhi’s disability welfare, income limits, bureaucratic hurdles, and data gaps may restrict its reach, leaving many in need potentially unsupported.