The President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu will be the Chief Guest at an esteemed ceremony to celebrate the ‘International Day of Persons with Disabilities’ to  be organized by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (Divyangjan), Union Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, on December 3, 2022 at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi. President Smt. Droupadi Murmu will confer the annual National Awards on individuals, institutions, organizations and state/district, etc., for their outstanding achievements and work towards the empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (PwDs).

Union Minister for Social Justice & Empowerment Dr. Virendra Kumar will preside over the function, while Union Ministers of State for Social Justice & Empowerment Shri Ramdas Athawale, Shri A. Narayanaswamy and Ms. Pratima Bhoumik will also grace the occasion.

On the occasion of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities i.e. 3rd December, the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (Divyangjan), Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment confers National Awards on Individuals, Institutions, Organizations, State/District etc for their outstanding achievements and work done towards empowerment of Persons with Disabilities every year.

National Awards for the Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities for the year 2021 and 2022, are being given under following categories :-

1. Sarvshresth Divyangjan;

2. Shresth Divyangjan;

3. Shresth Divyang Bal/Balika;

4. Sarvshrestha Vyakti – Divyangjano Ke Sashaktikaran Ke Liye Karyarath;

5. Sarvshrestha Punarvas Peshevar (Rehabilitation Professional/worker) – Divyangatha Ke Kheshtra Mein Karyarath;
6. Sarvshrestha Anusandhan/Navpravartan /UtpadVikas –Divyangatha Ke Sashaktikaran Ke Kheshtra Mein;
7. Divyang Sashaktikaran Hetu Sarveshrestha Sansthan (Private organization, NGO);
8. Divyango Ke Liye Sarvshrestha Niyoktha (Govt. organisation/ PSEs/ Autonomous bodies/ Pvt.Sector);
9. Divyango Ke Liye Sarvshresth Placement Agency – excluding Govt./State Govt./Local Bodies;
10. Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan Ke Karyanvayan/Badhamukta varan Ke Srijan Mein Sarvshrestha Rajya/UT/Zila;
11. Sarvshrestha Sugamya Yatayat ke Sadahan/Soochana Evem Sanchar Prodyogiki (Govt./Private organization);
12. Divyangjano Ke Adhikar Adhiniyam/UDID Evem Divyang Sashaktikaranki Anya Yojanaon ke Karyanvayan Mein Sarvshrestha Rajya/UT/Zila;
13. Divyangjano Ke Adhikar Adhiniyam, 2016 Ke Apne Rajya Mein Karyanvayan Mein Sarvshrestha Rajya Aayukta Divayngjan.
14. Punarvasan Peshewaron Ke Vikas Mein Sanlangn Sarvshrestha Sangathan

Till 2017, the Award Scheme was governed under the National Awards Rules, 2013 which provided 7 categories of disabilities as per the Persons with Disabilities Act, 1995. However, with the coming into force of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 w.e.f. 19th April 2017, the number of specified disabilities increased from 7 to 21 under the new Law. Accordingly, all the 21 disabilities have been included under the National Award Guidelines which have been notified in the Extraordinary Gazette of India dated 2nd August, 2018.

Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (Divyangjan) writes to the State Governments/Union Territory Administrators and Central Ministries/Departments calling nominations for National Awards in various categories. Advertisement is also published in the national/regional language daily newspapers to give wide publicity of the Awards. The detailed scheme of National Awards as also the advertisement issued for calling applications is displayed in the website of the Department (www.disabilityaffairs.gov.in) in a downloadable format.

An advertisement inviting applications for the year 2021 and 2022 from persons belonging to all the 21 specified disabilities as also individuals/intuition working for empowerment of persons with disabilities (Divyangjan) was published in the leading newspapers on 19^th August, 2022 with the last date for submission of applications through online mode only on the centralized portal of Ministry of Home Affairs (www.awards.gov.in) as 15th July, 2022 to 28th August, 2022 which was subsequently extended to 04.09.2022. Copy of the advertisement was also uploaded on the website for the Department besides writing letters to States/Union Territories to give wide publicity. For the year 2021 total 844 and 1210 applications for the year 2022 were received. The selection process consisted of examination of documents and records submitted by the applicants. These applications were screened and shortlisted by the Screening Committees constituted by the Department.

   MG/DK/RK/MPW

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