Visually Impaired advocate for Nationwide Validity of UDID Cards
Visually Impaired advocate for Nationwide Validity of UDID Cards
HARISH MONGA
Ferozepur, July 15, 2024: Just like every citizen of the country has a unique Aadhar card ID, on the same lines, the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment of India has also provided a unique ID for the disabled, so that the benefits of the schemes can reach them. However the disabled cannot avail the benefit of free travel in HRTC buses with the help of the UDID card made by the Health Department.
Persons with disabilities having centrally issued Unique Disability Identification (UDID) numbers can avail of benefits under 17 government schemes for them like persons with blindness, cerebral palsy, locomotor disability, leprosy-cured, mental retardation, mental illness etc.
It looks like they are disabled in Punjab and not in Ambala as the moment the visually-paired travelling in a Haryana Transport bus is asked to pay the fare.
Davinder Singh, the 100% disability certificate under No.PB0710219680033443 issued on June 18, 2019होल्ड्स, with its permanent validity – said, it is miserable that the UDID is valid in Punjab and is not recognized by the Haryana Transport Authority.
Singh with 100% disability – visually-impaired further said that the government has extended the free travelling facility to disabled persons as a gesture of goodwill to take care of their living standard. However, it is felt that this problem is being faced due to HRTC either not providing complete information of the notification to its drivers, conductors, and even regional managers or due to them not looking at the notification carefully.
He said, as a result, UDID cardholders with more than 40% disability certificates are not being given the benefit of free service in buses. Despite the disabled showing the card to the conductors, the fare is being charged to them by saying that this card is not valid until the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment gives it in writing. Whereas in the notification issued by the Directorate of Social Justice and Empowerment on 16 February 2019, HRTC has also been clearly instructed. However, due to operators not providing benefits to the disabled, thousands of disabled people in many parts of the state are deprived of the benefits of free bus service.
Advocating for the UDID to be recognized nationwide to ensure seamless access to services such as public transport, Anil Gupta, General Secretary, of Progressive Federation for the Blind, Punjab said, this issue needs standardized recognition and acceptance of disability identification across states to prevent inconvenience and ensure equal access to services for PwDs. Besides, there is a need to launch a campaign among public transport authorities across states about the UDID card and its benefits at the government and NGO levels as well.
