1.      The Organizational Structure of the Department

The Kerala State Handicapped Persons’ Welfare Corporation is a public sector undertaking under the State Government established in 1979 with the aims and objects of undertaking welfare measures for the disabled persons by providing due relief, promoting self employment among them and extending assistance for rehabilitation.

            With a view to extend direct employment to the handicapped persons, the Corporation is running the following commercial units:

1.      Sowbhagya Departmental Store, Thiruvananthapuram

2.      Sowbhagya Mobile Store, Thiruvananthapuram

3.      Sowbhagya Department Store, Kozhikode

4.      Photocopies unit, Kozhikode

5.      Public Telephone booth, Kozhikode

6.      Sowbhagya Offset Printing Press, Thiruvananthapuram

7.      Sowbhagya Extension Counter, MLA Quarters, Thiruvananthapuram

8.      Photo Copier Unit, Thiruvananthapuram

Of the total 58 employees engaged under the Corporation, 45 are disabled.

Total rehabilitation of the disabled is a many sided splendor.  The implementation of this however is a herculian task.  Rehabilitation starts with early detection and identification, medical rehabilitation followed by vocational and social rehabilitation to bring them to the mainstream of society.  An impairment develops into a disability and a disability into a handicap.

A handicapped person with locomotor disabilities has to be first helped to ambulate independently and carry out daily living activities.  But walking aid does not help always.  Such persons have to be provided wheel chair and tricycles and other transport devices.  Those who cannot walk even with calipers, artificial limbs and crutches, problem of moving about become more acute transfer from bed to wheel chair, wheel chair to toilet, wheel chair to other transport vehicles independently is difficult and they have to be helped by some one.

For low income group living in huts with low roofs and doorway even wheel chair will not help.  Wheeled platforms may be necessary.

Vocational training of those who have lost their hands is difficult.  Many will not be able to go back to their old vocation.  For example a Carpenter who has lost his hands has to be trained to do some other job as the present day artificial limbs have only one degree of freedom against 42 degrees of a normal person.  Even the most sophisticated artificial hand does not have more than 10 degrees of freedom.

With one problem in every phase of rehabilitation many new projects are required if the disabled  are to be helped to live a satisfied life in society.

2.      List and Address of area wise offices – Nil

3.      Name and Address of important authorities

Chairman                    -     Sri. S. Subbiah,, Secretary,
                                           Social Welfare   Department

Managing Director      -     Dr. R. Ashok

4.      Contact telephone Numbers

1.   Chairman                -           518299, 322475

2.    Office                                 -           347768

3.    Managing Director -           340568

5.      Projects, with details

1. Manufacturing, Repairing (Servicing) and Training centre for Aids and Appliances for the Disabled

A production-cum-training centre is functioning at Pattoor, Trivandrum.  The items manufactured at the centre are Tricycles, Wheel Chairs, Calipers, Artificial limbs and Crutches.  Simultaneously training in manufacturing, repairing and servicing of aids and appliances (including those freely supplied through Medical camps etc) will be imparted to 6 disabled persons of a batch with a monthly stipend of Rs. 500/- for the duration of 4 months each time.  The training will equip the handicapped persons to find out self-employment.   During 2001-2002, 7 disabled persons have completed training and 6 have been called for the next batch of training.  The special advantage in setting up the unit under the corporation is that it enables to have quality products at economy price.  Further the venture provides facilities for renovation and research in the manufacture of appliances having less weight and ensuring more comfort to the disabled consumers.

2.      District level Production-cum-training centres

i)                    Sowbhagya Offset Printing Press has started functioning from November 2001.  Apart from undertaking printing work, the unit will provide training in offset printing to two batches of 5 disabled persons each for a period of 6 months paying monthly stipend of Rs. 500/- per trainee.  The service of the trainees can be gainfully utilised for the functioning of the unit.  On completion of the training, they can seek employment in the trade in their locality.

ii)                   The Kozhikode District centre is concerned with Note Books production, utlilising the facilities available in the Sowbhagya Store, Kozhikode.  The unit will provide training in book binding for 20 disabled persons in a year, in 4 batches of 5 persons each, for a period of 3 months allowing monthly stipend of Rs. 500/- per trainee.  On completion of training they can find out self-employment, forming groups at the District and undertaking Binding job works in Govt. offices, Public sector undertaking and other institutions.

6.      Programmes

1)      Free distribution of aids and appliances

Those deserving disabled persons, whose annual income does not exceed Rs. 12,000/- are supplied with on the basis of Medical Certificates, free of cost, Aids and appliances, such as Artificial limbs, Tricycles, Wheel chairs, Calipers, Crutches, Hearing Aids, White canes, Colostomy bags etc.  In order to ensure wide coverage, medical camps are organised on district-wise basis in different centres giving proper publicity and participating elected representatives of local bodies State Legislature/Parliament, cultural organisations etc.  The functions are invariably got inaugurated by State Ministers.  The beneficiaries are identified by the Medical officers attending the camps.

2. Self employment assistance Schemes

i)        Applications for loans from the handicapped persons for the self-employment ventures are processed and transmitted to the service banks concerned duly recommended.  Immediately on getting the loan sanctioned, the beneficiary is allowed subsidy of Rs. 2000/-.

(ii) Subvention to Telephone Booths:

                        The Corporation has been recognised by the Telecom Department as authorised sponsoring agency to allot Telephone Booths to the handicapped entrepreneurs.  Bank loans are made available for installation of Computer Billing Devices and in such cases subsidy of Rs. 2000/- is allowed linked with loans.

3.      Furniture Repairing Scheme:

The work of repairing of furniture attached to Govt. Offices and other public sector institutions is undertaken by the corporation engaging handicapped persons.  The scheme provides employment regularly to more than 80 disabled persons.

4. Cash Award to disabled students:

There is a scheme of distribution of cash award of Rs. 2500/- per disabled student securing maximum marks in SSLC Exam.  The awardees are selected on a district basis, belonging to the three categories: (1) Blind, (2) Deaf and Dumb and (3) Orthopaedically handicapped.  At the rate of three students from each district 42 handicapped pupils are granted the cash awards provided there are genuine applicants.  The budget provision for every year on this account is Rs. One lakh.

7.      Achievements and Success stories of the Department

Table appended  (Table)

8.      Details of the Financial services by the department to the common man

1. Loans for self-employment assistance from National Handicapped Finance and Development Corporation

This Corporation has been appointed by the State Govt. as the Channelising Agency of NHFDC for granting loans to the disabled applicants at very low rate of interest for self – employment ventures.  The loans are available to persons with disability of not less than 40% and whose annual family income does not exceed Rs. 55,000 in the case of applicants hailing from rural areas and Rs. 60000 for those from urban areas.  75% of the loans are earmarked for schemes involving below Rs. One lakh.  The rates of interest, including the 2 percent allowed to the Corporation as service charges, range from 5% for loan amount not exceeding Rs. 50,000 and upto 10% for amount above Rs. 5 lakhs.  For enterprises of Women applicants 2% rebate on interest is allowed.  This Corporation is responsible to ensure prompt repayment by insisting proper surety before releasing the loan.  The Channellising Agency is liable to pay penal interest to the National Corporation in cases of default. The process of identifying viable schemes, ensuring proper security, monitoring the enterprises, visiting the premises to ensure proper utilisation and watching repayments in instalments spread over seven years etc.  indicate that the transactions are not likely to yield any profit.  The venture being an intrinsic part of rehabilitation of the handicapped the Corporation is bound to pursue this loan scheme zealously.

2)      Self employment assistance Schemes

Applications for loans from the handicapped persons for the self-employment ventures are processed and transmitted to the service banks concerned duly recommended.  Immediately on getting the loan sanctioned, the beneficiary is allowed subsidy of Rs. 2000/-.

9.      Application forms

10.  The enactment, ordinance or legislation pertaining to the department.

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

Abstract

LOCAL ADMINISTRATION & SOCILA WELFARE (E) DEPARTMENT

Read:-        1. G.O. (MS) 111/78/LA &SED, dated 12-05-1978.

                  2. Letter No. HW1-27149/78, dated 20-11-1978, from the Director of Social Welfare.

                  3. Letter No. E1/78, dated 07-02-1979 from the Commissioner of Enquiry for the                                                  handicapped.

4.      G.O. (Rt) 4077/79/GAD, dated 28-06-1979.

5.      G.O. (Rt) 2724/79/LA&SWD, dated 13-08-1979.

ORDER

            In the G.O. read as first paper above Government directed the Director of Social Welfare to prepare a project report for the formation of a Corporation for the welfare of the physically handicapped and in his letter read as second paper above the submitted the project report.  The Commissioner of Enquiry appointed by Government to study and report on the condition of the handicapped has also made certain suggestions for the formation of the proposed Corporation.  Therefore, Government appointed Sri. M. Hameed Hassan, Joint Secretary to Government, Law Department as the Special Officer for the formation of the Corporation for the welfare of the handicapped.  He has submitted a revised draft Memorandum and Articles of association.  Government have examined the matter carefully and they are pleased to order as follows.

(i)                  A Company by name “The Kerala State handicapped Persons Welfare Corporation Limited” will be formed.

(ii)                The Headquarters of the Company will be at Trivandrum.

(iii)               The main objects of the Company will be to formulate, to promote and implement any scheme aimed at the rehabilitation or improvement of the Living conditions of the Blind, the Deaf, the Orthopaedically handicapped and the Mentally retarded persons and to provide financial and technical assistance to handicapped persons, group of such persons and organisations engaged in activities on the rehabilitation and welfare of the handicapped persons.

(iv)              The Company will be a private Limited Company, the share capital of the Company being Rs. 2 crores (Rupees Two Crores only)  divided into two lakhs equity shares of Rs. 100/- (Rupees One Hundred only) each with power to increase the share.

(v)                The number of Directors shall not be less than two and more than elevan and the Directors shall be appointed by the Governor.

(vi)              The Managing Director will be appointed by the Government.

(vii)             The first Director will be subscribers of the Memorandum of Association of the Company.

(viii)           The Secretary (Local Administration & Social Welfare) and the Director of Social Welfare will be the First Directors of the Board.

Government also approve the Memorandum and Articles of association of the Company as appended to this order.

The Special Officer will take immediate steps for the registration of the Company.

(By Order of the Governor)

S. KRISHNA KUMAR

SECRETARY TO GOVERNEMNT

To

      The Special Officer for the formation of the Corporation for the Welfare of the handicapped.

      The Director of Social Welfare, Trivandrum.

      The Accountant General, Kerala, Trivandrum (Through Finance Department)

      The Finance Department (with file)

      The General Administration (SC) Department (vide item 974)

      The Private Secretary to Minister (Education & Social Welfare)

      The Director of Public Relations, Trivandrum.

      The Stock File/Office copy.

Forwarded/By order

Sd/-

Section Officer.

1.         I want an application for Bank Loan and want to know the details for availing it.

The Corporation has an application for availing bank loan by Physically Handicapped persons.  It recommends the application to the area bank where the applicant resides.  As and when the bank sanctions the loan the Corporation gives subsidy of Rs. 2000/- for every loan above Rs. 4000/- and a reduced subsidy for loan below Rs. 4000/-.

2.         I want a tricycle since I am handicapped ?

            The Corporation supplies aids like Crutches, Wheel Chairs, Hearing Aids, Limb, Caliper, White Cane, Walking Stick, Spectacles, Colostomy bag etc free of cost to physically handicapped  persons on certification of Doctor and whose annual income is below Rs. 12,000/-.  The application form is available in the Corporation.

3.         I want an application form for NHFDC loan.

            The KSHPWC is a channellising agency for distribution of loans sanctioned by NHFDC.  Physically Handicapped persons can apply in the Corporation for starting self employment ventures with the help of NHFDC loans.  The loan application are forwarded to NHFDC after scrutiny and loan is sanctioned by the NHFDC.  The interest rates charged by the Corporation is as follows:             Loan Amount upto Rs. 50,000              5% p.a

            Loan Amount Rs. 50,001 – 1,00,000               6% p.a

            Loan Amount Rs. 1,00,001 – 5,00,000            9% p.a

            Loan Amount above Rs. 5 lakhs                       10% p.a.

            A rebate for women beneficiaries with disability 2%.