PANAJI: Nearly 50% of persons with disabilities in Goa have not received any aid or help from the state government, a report titled, Persons with Disabilities (Divyangjan) in India – A Statistical Profile: 2021 has revealed.
Among disabled persons Goa has the second highest literacy rate at 70% the report said.
As per the Census of India 2011, Goa’s divyangjan population stands at 33,012 persons making it 2% of the total state population.
As per the report, 49% of persons with disabilities received aid or help from the state government while 0.9 per cent received aid or help from organisations other than the government.
From the above 49%, 54% is rural and 46% urban.
In response to a mere 50% of persons with disabilities receiving any aid from the state, a senior official said that a contrributing factor could be that welfare schemes have not been amended in Goa to cover all 21 disabilities identified by the Centre.
The officer also said that currently the government’s benefits cover providing aids and appliances to people for over seven disabilities, and that 19 schemes for persons with disabilities are active.
He also added that a program has been launched to provide such aids and appliances to cover all persons with disabilities.
The report further stated that the highest percentage of disabled children (5-19 years) currently in educational institutions has been reported from Goa and Kerala, at 73%, followed by Maharashtra and Lakshadweep at 70%.
Among the state and Union territories, the highest literacy rate among disabled persons is in Kerala 71%, followed by Goa at 70%.
The lowest is Arunachal Pradesh at 39%, followed by Rajasthan at 40%, the report stated.
Chief minister Pramod Sawant had said that the state government will establish early intervention centres across all talukas for early diagnosis of children suffering from different disabilities that will help in early treatment.
In December, Sawant had said that the state government will establish a permanent home for disabled persons within one year.