TS expands disabilities list: MS patients to get ID cards

The department for women, children, disabled and senior citizens welfare will begin distributing Unique Disability Identity (UDID) cards to multiple sclerosis patients (MSPs) within the next two months.

Eligibility criteria, issued by the Centre, will depend on data provided by the Software for Assessment of Disabled for Access Rehabilitation and Empowerment (SADAREM). According to official, the software is used by the state government.

“The UDID cards have arrived from New Delhi. Only the distribution is pending. To apply for the cards, those eligible should first have their data fed into SADAREM, as the UDID card is also issued based on the same information and questions,” Ms B. Shailaja, director of the department, told Deccan Chronicle.

To avail the card, MSPs will have to indicate a multiple disabilities card, and follow the prompts of the website.

The state will expand the list of disabilities from the seven to 21, as listed by the Centre in the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016.

“We will issue disability certificates for all the 21 disabilities listed by the Centre. The work is being done by the Society for Elimination of Rural Poverty and we should have potential beneficiaries with 21 listed disabilities enrolled by April,” she added.

Disabled people can now book an online slot at eSeva and MeeSeva centres. The new rule came into effect on January 1.

Following the announcement, members of the Multiple Sclerosis Society India (MSSI) Hyderabad, said that it would be a step towards inclusivity for MSPs.

SADAREM certificates will help the government in maintaining a centralized database of disabled persons. It will generate details, including support services the disabled persons are entitled to be based and a record of the services provided from time to time. The details to be hosted on a public domain would enable service providers to reach out to the disabled persons.