Govt reserves 4% central housing quota for employees with disabilities
The Centre has introduced a 4% reservation in the allotment of General Pool Residential Accommodation (GPRA) for its employees with benchmark disabilities.
The new policy, announced by the ministry of housing and urban affairs, aims to ensure greater accessibility and equal opportunity in government housing.
The directive, issued under the provisions of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPWD) Act, 2016, states that all central government employees with benchmark disabilities—defined in Section 34 of the Act—will be eligible for priority allotment of GPRA, according to a statement.
These include individuals with conditions such as blindness, low vision, hearing impairments, locomotor disabilities, cerebral palsy, leprosy cured, dwarfism, acid attack injuries, and muscular dystrophy.
The central government provides about 109,474 residential units under the GPRA scheme across 347 colonies in 61 cities throughout India, shows government data.
So, under the new policy, about 4,379 government residential units across the country will be reserved for eligible government employees with benchmark disabilities.
Under the revised policy, eligible employees will receive priority in both initial allotments and requests for change of accommodation over the general unified waiting list, the statement said.
The benchmark disability is determined as per Section 2(r) of the RPWD Act, which defines a person with at least 40% of a specified disability, either measurable or otherwise, certified by the competent authority.
Describing the initiative as a landmark step towards inclusive governance, Minister of housing and urban affairs Manohar Lala Khattar said the measure reflects the government's commitment to equal opportunity for all, aligning with the broader vision of sabka saath, sabka vikas. The decision is also part of the Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan, which seeks to build a more accessible and barrier-free environment for persons with disabilities.
'The allotments will be processed through the government's automated system of allotment (ASA), and eligible applicants must place their bids every month on the eSampada website under the newly introduced Persons with Disabilities (PwD) category,' said Ravi Arora, joint secretary, housing ministry.
'A Unique Disability ID (UDID) card, issued by the government, will serve as valid proof of eligibility. Applicants are required to upload the UDID card to their profile on the eSampada portal, which will be verified by their respective ministries or departments before the application is forwarded to the Directorate of Estates,' said Arora.
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