The central and state governments provide various types of awards for differently-abled persons in India, and one of the states that offers one such award is the state govt of Maharashtra. The Maharashtra govt launched a scheme called the Scheme of State Award for Disabled Individuals. As the name suggests, it is specially for Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) and the main reason behind the creation of the scheme is to recognise and honour the outstanding performance of PwDs in their respective professional fields.
Through the scheme, every year, employees or employers with disabilities or placement agencies who have worked exceptionally are awarded. This is not merely another govt scheme but an effort taken by the government to remove the stereotypes that Persons with Disabilities are forced to battle with every single day of their lives and to make other people realise that people with disabilities are much more than just their disabilities and nothing less than other ‘abled’ individuals.
Read the article to learn more about the State Award for Persons with Disabilities scheme, ranging from its meaning and benefits to eligibility criteria and the application process.
Overview
The table below summarises some key details about the state government scheme that one should know.
| Name of the scheme | Scheme of State Award for Disabled Individuals |
|---|
| Launched by | State of Maharashtra |
| Under the | Department of Social Justice & Special Assistance |
| Target group | To recognise and honour the exceptional performances of Persons with Disabilities in their respective professional fields. |
| Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) |
| Mode of application | Offline |
Read More: Free Motorised Tricycle Scheme for PwDs 2025
What Is The State Award For Disabled Scheme?
The state government of Maharashtra launched a scheme called the Scheme of State Award for Disabled Individuals. The scheme operates under the supervision of the Department of Social Justice & Special Assistance under the state govt authorities. The main aim of the scheme for PwDs is to recognise and honour the exceptional performances of Persons with Disabilities in their respective professional fields. Under the scheme, people are awarded every year, irrespective of their positions, like employee, employer or placement agencies.
Awards can be provided in various forms, like cash incentives, certificates, or medals. The lives of Persons with disabilities are already plagued with physical, social, and psychological hurdles. They are often underestimated because of their disabilities, and that’s the primary reason why the state govt of Maharashtra launched this scheme. It is not just a scheme but a reminder for everyone that PwDs are more than just their disabilities.
Objectives Of The State Award For Disabled Scheme
There are several objectives of the government award for disabled persons scheme that make it useful and unique, some of which are described below in brief points:
-
The main objective of the state government scheme is to honour Persons with Disabilities who work exceptionally and have contributed a lot to their professional fields.
-
The state govt authorities also aim to empower people with disabilities and motivate them so that they can focus on contributing their best efforts and also work toward breaking the stereotypes that they are forced to deal with every day.
Benefits Of The State Award For Disabled Scheme
The Sarkari Yojana comes along with a range of benefits for its beneficiaries. Some of the key disability award scheme benefits are mentioned below for a better understanding of the scheme:
-
One of the popular benefits of the state government scheme is to award Persons with Disabilities for their exceptional contributions in their workplace and toward their respective professional fields through various means, like financial incentives, certificates, or medals.
-
One of the disability award scheme benefits is that it boosts the morale and confidence of Persons with Disabilities and encourages them to work better and prove to the world that they are on par with other people and not limited because of their disabilities.
-
The clear breakdown of awards given to employers or employees with disabilities is described below in tabular format for one’s reference:
| Category | Description of people, covered under a category | Total number of awards | Specifics of the award |
|---|
| Category 1 | Best employees with disabilities, like visual impairment, hearing impairment, orthopedically handicapped, or intellectual disabilities | 12 | Rs. 10,000, citation, and a certificate |
| Category 2 | Best employer from sectors, like public or private | 02 | Rs. 25,000, citation, and a certificate |
Read More: National Action Plan For Skill Development Of Persons With Disabilities
What Is The Eligibility Criteria For Applying For The Disability State Award Scheme India?
Individuals interested in applying for this state govt scheme first need to ensure that they fulfil the eligibility criteria for the same or not. The state award for disabled eligibility criteria is as follows:
-
Applicants should be either an employee, an employer, or a placement agency.
-
Applicants applying for the scheme should have a disability (like visual impairment, hearing impairment, orthopaedic impairment, etc.)
-
The disability percentage of the applicant should be at least 40% or more.
-
Applicants should be Indian citizens.
-
Applicants must be permanent residents of the state of Maharashtra.
How To Apply For The Disability State Award Scheme India?
Individuals can apply for this state govt scheme by following an offline procedure. Please note that there is no state award for persons with disabilities apply online platform. The process of offline application is mentioned below in a stepwise manner for one's clarity:
Step 1: Please visit the office of the District Social Welfare.
Step 2: Request a state disability award application form from the officials working in the department.
Step 3: Fill in the application form carefully and accurately.
Step 4: Attach the scanned copies of all the required documents.
Step 5: Recheck the filled details in the state disability award application form and then submit it along with the documents to the office itself.
Step 6: Please collect an acknowledgement or reference slip on the successful submission of the application form from the authorities.
What Are The Documents Required For The Disability State Award Scheme India?
There are some documents that the applicants are required to attach while applying for the government award for disabled persons scheme. The list of required documents is as follows:
Also Read: Top 10 Government Schemes For Disabled Persons In India
Conclusion
The Scheme of State Award for Disabled Individuals by the state govt of Maharashtra is an excellent initiative as it recognises the outstanding, precious efforts and contributions of Persons with Disabilities in their respective professional fields. By honouring employers or employees with disabilities or placement agencies, the state govt also aims to encourage other PwDs to work at their optimal levels and contribute to their fields.
The scheme also represents the state government’s holistic and inclusive interest in the development and progress of all the citizens, irrespective of their abilities or disabilities. The authorities not only aim to boost the confidence and morale of the PwDs with the help of this scheme but also help them in showing the rest of the nation that they are no less than other ‘abled’ individuals.
Stay updated with Jaagruk Bharat to get the latest information on government schemes and more, and reach out to us via our community page if you have any questions or want to share your thoughts.
