UDID and Disability Rights in India: Urgent Challenges and Key Solutions
Context: Less than 40% of Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) in India possess a UDID card, leaving a majority excluded from crucial welfare schemes and benefits. With over 11 lakh applications pending—most for more than six months—the issue highlights the urgent need for faster processing and better digital accessibility, especially as India pushes for inclusive growth under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016.
What rights have been vested with PwDs?
The RPwD Act, 2016 guarantees PwDs several rights, aligned with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD):
- Reservation: 4% of government jobs and 5% in higher educational institutions.
- Social Security: Access to pensions, skill development, and health services.
- Accessibility: Mandates barrier-free infrastructure in public buildings and transport.
- Non-discrimination: Protection against exclusion in education, employment, and political participation.
Despite these provisions, implementation gaps persist. A Down to Earth (2023) report noted that limited institutional support and fragmented identification systems restrict PwDs from availing benefits.
What is the significance of UDID?
The Unique Disability ID (UDID) Card, launched by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD), aims to create a national database of PwDs and streamline access to welfare schemes.
- It enables PwDs to access benefits under ADIP (assistive devices), scholarships, skill development programmes, and job reservations.
- Ensures portability of benefits across States.
- Promotes transparency and reduces duplication in beneficiary lists.
Each UDID card has an 18-character code carrying State, district, disability type, and year of birth identifiers. Both permanent and temporary cards are issued based on medical assessments.
Why is it necessary to ensure the issuance of UDID?
- Currently, less than 40% of India’s projected PwD population has been issued a UDID card. As of March 2023, 11.4 lakh applications were pending, over 80% for more than six months (Lok Sabha, 2023).
- State disparities: Tamil Nadu (74%) and Odisha show higher coverage, but States like West Bengal (6%) lag severely.
- Barriers: Digital illiteracy, poor awareness, and delays in verification slow down coverage.
- Without UDID, PwDs face exclusion from scholarships, assistive devices, or job reservations. Slow fund release compounds the issue—allocations under the UDID sub-scheme fell from ₹597.3 lakh in 2018-19 to only ₹26 lakh in 2022-23.
What challenges persist beyond UDID issuance?
- Beyond documentation, PwDs confront stigma, inaccessible infrastructure, and lack of updated data. The Economic Survey (2023) highlighted that India must invest in disability-inclusive digital literacy and ensure Census 2021 captures accurate disability data.
- A case in point: In Himachal Pradesh, over 80% of UDID applications remain pending, underscoring systemic delays despite strong State-level welfare schemes.
