(1) The appropriate Government shall within the limit of its economic capacity and development formulate necessary schemes and programmes to safeguard and promote the right of persons with disabilities for adequate standard of living to enable them to live independently or in the community:
Provided that the quantum of assistance to the persons with disabilities under such schemes and programmes shall be at least twenty-five per cent. higher than the similar schemes applicable to others.
(2) The appropriate Government while devising these schemes and programmes shall give due consideration to the diversity of disability, gender, age, and socio-economic status.
(3) The schemes under sub-section (1) shall provide for,—
- (a) community centres with good living conditions in terms of safety, sanitation, health care and counselling;
- (b) facilities for persons including children with disabilities who have no family or have been abandoned, or are without shelter or livelihood;
- (c) support during natural or man-made disasters and in areas of conflict;
- (d) support to women with disability for livelihood and for upbringing of their children;
- (e) access to safe drinking water and appropriate and accessible sanitation facilities especially in urban slums and rural areas;
- (f) provisions of aids and appliances, medicine and diagnostic services and corrective surgery free of cost to persons with disabilities with such income ceiling as may be notified;
- (g) disability pension to persons with disabilities subject to such income ceiling as may be notified;
- (h) unemployment allowance to persons with disabilities registered with Special Employment Exchange for more than two years and who could not be placed in any gainful occupation;
- (i) care-giver allowance to persons with disabilities with high support needs;
- (j) comprehensive insurance scheme for persons with disability, not covered under the Employees State Insurance Schemes, or any other statutory or Government-sponsored insurance schemes;
- (k) any other matter which the appropriate Government may think fit.
