With states social and Empowerment departments order to provide all 21 categories of disabilities with benefits under the social security pension scheme, Rajasthan became the first state in the country to take the step.
Earlier, persons with disabilities (PwDs) of eight categories were given pension every month. The 21 categories of disabilities were identified under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016.
Keeping this in mind, secretary social justice and empowerment department, Samit Sharma, issued an order on October 12 having amended the social security special persons pension rules, 2013, in order to give benefits of pension scheme to all 21 types of disabled persons.
The 21 categories of disabilities include locomotor disability, leprosy cured person, cerebral palsy, dwarfism, muscular dystrophy, acid attack victims, blindness, low-vision, hearing impairment, speech and language disability, intellectual disability, specific Learning disabilities, autism spectrum disorder, mental illness, chronic neurological condition, multiple sclerosis, Parkinsons disease, haemophilia, thalassemia, sickle cell disease and multiple disabilities.