Fact Check: Has there been a exponential increase in camps for Divyangs?
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
October 23, 2018
How true is the government claim that there has been an exponential increase in the number of camps for Divyangs after 2014 and that only 55 camps were organized pre 2014?
An infographic published on the 48 months portal makes a claim that there has been an exponential increase in the number of camps conducted for Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) or Divyangs for distribution of support equipment. The following article is a fact check of this claim.
Scheme to distribute support equipment to Divyangs
The Department of Empowerment of PwDs or Divyangs implements a scheme by name ‘Assistance to Disabled Persons for Purchase / Fitting of Aids and Appliances (ADIP Scheme)’. This scheme has been operational since 1981. As per the scheme guidelines, the main objective of the Scheme is to assist the needy disabled persons in procuring durable, sophisticated and scientifically manufactured, modern, standard aids and appliances to promote physical, social, psychological rehabilitation of Persons with Disabilities by reducing the effects of disabilities and at the same time enhance their economic potential. Assistive devices are given to PwDs with an aim to improve their independent functioning, and to arrest the extent of disability and occurrence of secondary disability. The aids and appliances supplied under the Scheme must have due certification.
The Scheme is  implemented through a host of implementing agencies such as NGOs, Red Cross, government institutions like  National Trust, ALIMCO, National/State Handicapped Development Corporation, Local Bodies etc. The Agencies are given financial assistance for purchase, fabrication and distribution of such standard aids and appliances that are in conformity with objectives of the Scheme. The implementing agencies have to make suitable arrangements for fitting and post-fitting care of the aids and appliances distributed under the Scheme. The distribution of the aids is done through dedicated camps organized for this purpose. Before the camp, these agencies are supposed to inform the District Collector, BDO, a local public representative, State Government and the Department of Disability Affairs at least one week in advance about the date and the location of the camp. After the camps, the agencies provide a list of beneficiaries and the details of aids and assistive devices with the cost incurred to the State Government and the Department of Disability Affairs.
Have camps being organized for Divyangs increased substantially?
The claim is that there has been an unprecedented increase in camps for Divyangs under ADIP scheme and that only 55 camps were conducted before 2014. The aggregated data on the number of camps organized before 2013-14 is not readily available. However, data from ALIMCO, one of the implementing agencies proves this claim is wrong. Artificial Limbs Manufacturing Corporation of India (ALIMCO) is a non-profit company which is 100% owned by the Government of India and is functioning under the Administrative Control of DEPwD. The 2013-14 annual report of ALIMCO mentions that 461 camps were conducted under the ADIP scheme in 2013-14. It has to be noted that ALIMCO is only one of the implementing agencies under the scheme, hence many more camps were conducted by other implementing agencies before 2014.
Further, the data from the annual reports of DEPwD indicates that while the number of camps did increase in 2014-15 and 2015-16, it is decreasing again starting from 2016-17. The average number of camps conducted under the scheme during the tenure of the current government is more than 1500, which is 40% more than the number of camps conducted in 2013-14, the last year of the UPA government. The total number of camps conducted since 2014-15 under the ADIP scheme is more than 6000 as per the latest annual report of DEPwD.
Claim: Only 55 camps were conducted pre 2014 for distribution of support equipment to Divyangs while more than 6000 camps are conducted post 2014.
Fact: It is true that more than 6000 camps were conducted for PwDs under the ADIP scheme since 2014-15. But, it is false that only 55 camps were conducted pre 2014. Hence the claim is FALSE.
This story is part of a larger series on the 4-years of the Modi government. This series has been made possible with the flash grant of the International Fact Checking Network (IFCN). Read the rest of the stories in this series here.