Welfare of the Handicapped/Physically Challenged Persons/Children

The Department is providing various types of welfare services to the handicapped and physically challenged persons with an aim to raise their social, educational and mental status to cope with challenges that are required to face by them in their day to day lives. Some of the services provided to them by the Department are enumerated hereunder.

Considering the vulnerability of the physically challenged children in the society the Department is providing a stipend @ Rs. 500.00 per month per child and Rs. 500 per annum for their studies in special schools outside the State. At present 7 students are studying at St. Mary’s School for the Deaf at Kalimpong and Salvation Army School at Darjeeling. Scholarship of Rs. 50/- p.m. is provided to each children studying in Class I to VI, Rs. 60/- p.m. from class VII to VIII p.m. and Rs. 85/- p.m. from class IX to XII. Scholarship for higher studies @ Rs. 800/- p.m. for students studying outside the State and Rs. 2000/- per annum for students studying within the State is also being provided.

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A Sheltered Workshop

A Sheltered Workshop at Jorthang is being operated from the rented premises of the Industrial Centre of Commerce and Industries Department.At the workshop they make products out of Cane and Bamboo, which is sold in the market.
It was established to train physically challenged persons to so that they can learn a economically viable trade so as to make them financially independent. Those working in the workshop are provided M.R. wages.

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Special School for Hearing Impaired

The Social Welfare Division has established a Special School for the Hearing impaired children in June 2004 at Sitchey Busty, Gangtok. It is a residential School where accommodation, education and general welfare for the hearing impaired children are provided.
For further Information and Admission people can contact:
Principal,
Special School for Deaf,
Sitchey Busty,
Gangtok.
Phone: (03592)284357

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Disability Screening Camps

The department, in collaboration with the medical specialists of STNM Govt. hospital, conducts free disability camps in every convenient places of all the four districts as per the calendar drawn in advance. During such camps persons having different types of disabilities are screened and assessed the percentage of their disabilities and accordingly Disability Certificates and Cards are issued.

However, with the issuance of Notification No. 02/HC, HS&FW Dated: 30/1/09 by the Department of Health Care, Human Services and Family Welfare the system has been slightly changed. Now the notification as aforesaid has specified certain days of the months to be visited by the respective District Medical Board in their respective District Hospitals accompanied by the officers of the Social Justice, Empowerment & Welfare Department along with the technicians and staffs of DDRC, Gangtok. The pattern for screening and assessment of the disabilities followed by the necessary treatment to be given to the patients remains the same as followed earlier.

The Disability Screening Board (DSB) shall convene a screening clinic as per following schedule at the assigned venues from 11 a.m. onwards and examine the persons with disability. The registration process of the disabled persons shall invariably commence from 10 a.m. onwards:-

However, if the days indicated are a public holiday, then the board will meet on next working day.
Persons with multiple disabilities shall be examined by all the members of Disability Screening Board (DSB) before issuing Disability Certificate so as to ensure proper assessment of the disabilities.

The Disability Screening Board (DSB) of District Hospital at Singtam shall also cover all persons with disability falling within the jurisdiction of District Hospital, Mangan. The Disability Screening Board (DSB) of District Hospital, Namchi shall cover all persons with disability falling within the jurisdiction of District Hospital, Gyalsing and District Hospital, Singtam shall cover District Hospital, Mangan respectively.

The Disability Screening Board (DSB) of East District will be chaired by Chief Medical Officer, East and the Disability Screening Board (DSB) of North District shall be chaired by Chief Medical Officer, North. The Disability Screening Board (DSB) of South District will be chaired by Chief Medical Officer, South and the Disability Screening Board (DSB) of West District will be chaired by Chief Medical Officer, west.

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Assistance to Voluntary Organizations

The Department is providing financial assistance to certain Voluntary Organizations/ NGOs which are looking after the welfare of disadvantaged sections of the society like Persons with Disabilities, infirm children, aged persons and persons who have been the victim of Substance Abuse. Some of the leading and reputed NGOs which are availing the financial assistance from the Department are as under:-

1. Jawaharlal Nehru Institute for the Visually Handicapped at Boomtar, South Sikkim is being run by National Association for the Blind, an NGO to which the department provides grant in aid. They are doing creditable work. For betterment and proper education of the visually impaired children the grant needs to be enhanced.
2. The Spastic Society is running a School for the spastic at T.N.H.S. Road. This centre is doing creditable work in the field of rehabilitation.
3. The Sikkim Vikalang Sahayta Samiti, Zero Point is also working for the rehabilitation of the Orthopedic Handicapped. Due to paucity of fund the department is providing grant in aid to the center.
4. The Association for Social Health in India, (Sikkim Branch) is also doing commendable work but due to fund constraint this department is not able to enhance the grant.
5. The Sikkim Rehabilitation and Detoxification Centre, Nimtar is also doing an excellent work in the field of rehabilitation of the drug abuse. The department is not in position to enhance the grant.
6. Hope Centre, Rangpo established in 2003 is working in the treatment of chemically departed persons and has been doing good work and is in need of assistance from the government to take care more needy persons in the State.

The grant in aid to the voluntary organizations/NGOs is provided subject to the following conditions:

1. Availability of Funds.
2. Satisfactory performance of the voluntary organizations/NGOs certified by the competent authority of the Government of Sikkim.
3. Further released of fund will be done only after submission of Annual Reports, Utilization Certificate and Audited Account of the grant released during the previous year.