India

Government responses

Mainstreaming of disability inclusion, participation, and partnerships

• [n.d.] The central government has set up several empowerment groups under the Disaster Management Act to facilitate a coordinated response to the pandemic. 
• [15 May 2020] A WhatsApp group of high-level government officials has been created for coordinating daily necessities distribution and e-pass approval for caregivers.

Continued access to goods and services

• [n.d.] The National Institute for Empowerment of Persons with Multiple Disabilities has hosted several webinars intended to ensure the maintenance of children’s well-being and education during the lockdown. Topics of the webinars include, for instance, creation of daily schedule and learning opportunities for children with multiple disabilities and appropriate exercise for persons with diverse disabilities.
• [1 April 2020] The Kerala government has issued an order to all district collectors and police chiefs to ensure the protection of persons with disabilities. Measures to be taken cover the following areas: accessible information; home delivery of essential food, water, and medicines; a dedicated helpline; special hours for persons with disabilities to use supermarkets and banks; online counselling facilities; and safety protection of caregivers, among others.
• [4 April 2020] All district magistrates and deputy commissioners in New Delhi have been asked to issue passes to caregivers to exempt them from the lockdown regulations and enable them to continue assisting persons with disabilities.
• [7 September 2020] The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has launched an inclusive 24*7 toll-free mental rehabilitation helpline. Plans have been under development to enable video calls with sign language trained counsellors.

Accessible public information

• [n.d.] The accessible website of the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Multiple Disabilities provides information on COVID-19.

Medical and quarantine policies and processes

• [7 August 2020] The Telangana High Court has directed the state government to identify and record the names of persons with disabilities at the time of COVID-19 testing. The Department for Disabled Welfare could thus access the details of COVID-19 patients among 700,000 persons with disabilities in the state.
• [28 December 2020] The government’s ‘Vaccines Operational Guidelines’ includes a checklist on the physical accessibility of vaccine sites, especially considering whether there is a ramp for wheelchair access.
• [1 March 2021] The second phase of the vaccine roll-out has commenced, prioritizing persons with intellectual disabilities, muscular dystrophy, multiple disabilities such as deafblindness, and those with disabilities with high support needs. 
• [28 May 2021] Special considerations have been made to ensure that persons with disabilities and older persons are able to access vaccine services close to home.

Social protection and employment support

• [n.d.] India has developed a social protection programme under the “Pradhan Mantri Gareeb Kalyan Yojana”. Through this, free food rations have been provided, and wages under the employment guarantee scheme have been increased. Further measures include direct cash transfers of $13 to poor pensioners, widows, and persons with disabilities.
• [27 April 2020] The Nashik Municipal Corporation in the state of Maharashtra has deposited Rs 2,000 per person to the bank accounts of over 512 persons with disabilities. The amount has been transferred by the Social Welfare Department under its scheme to provide financial assistance for persons with disabilities.
• [May 2020] Tamil Nadu and Himachal Pradesh have advanced the payment of allowances to beneficiaries, including persons with disabilities.
• [1 September 2020] Many people who lost their jobs due to the lockdown have got themselves engaged in the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) work. The Rural Development Department has involved over 24,582 persons with disabilities in NREGA work under the Scheme 2020-21. Tasks for persons with disabilities include plantation work, distributing water to workers, and nursery activities.

Last modified: 10 June 2021