Latest news with #SSEPD
New Indian Express
01-08-2025
- Health
- New Indian Express
Empower SDHs in Odisha to issue PwD certificates, Health department urged
BHUBANESWAR: The sub-divisional hospitals in the state could soon be given the power to issue disability certificates to persons with disabilities (PwDs). In order to streamline disability certification and enhance accessibility for the differently-abled persons, the Social Security and Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (SSEPD) department has urged the Health and Family Welfare department to authorise sub-divisional hospitals to conduct disability assessments and issue unique disability identity (UDID) cards. Currently, UDID cards mandated under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act, 2016 are issued through 33 notified hospitals, especially at district headquarters hospitals (DHHs). These hospitals are authorised for medical assessments and issuance of disability certificates, as per Rule 17 and 18 of the RPwD Rules, 2017. Stating that the centralised model of certification has resulted in a substantial backlog of UDID applications, particularly in populous and geographically large districts, additional secretary of SSEPD department Sonia Behera has urged her counterpart in the Health department to take steps for authorisation of sub-divisional hospitals to generate UDID cards.
Time of India
30-07-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Dept plans shelter homes for transgender community
1 2 Bhubaneswar: The social security and empowerment of persons with disabilities (SSEPD) department has prepared a plan for the construction of shelter homes in districts for the transgender community. During a meeting held on July 23, officials discussed Sweekruti, a scheme for the promotion of transgender equality and justice. A five-year action plan and tentative budget under different programme components of the Sweekruti scheme were proposed for the financial years from 2025-26 to 2029-30, according to minutes of the meeting shared by the department on Wednesday. "The construction of transgender shelter homes in districts may be provisioned for from any suitable scheme of the department where the transgender population is more or education, vocation and employment opportunities are most sought after," read the minutes. Official sources said the proposed shelter homes will accommodate destitute and abandoned transgender people and provide them basic amenities like food, medical care and recreational facilities. Besides, the shelter homes will provide support for the capacity-building/skill development of transgender people. Officials also suggested the creation of self-help groups (SHGs) for the transgender community for better appreciation of the rights of equality and optimum delivery of scheme benefits. Banks may be roped in by the district administrations for facilitating loans after proper assessment of skills such as driving, geriatric care and making incense sticks, the minutes stated. "The sensitisation of society at college, vocational institutions/public offices, service centres along with the provision of stalls and activities during govt functions, local gatherings, festivals and melas may be taken up on a wider scale for the community," the minutes added.
New Indian Express
29-07-2025
- Health
- New Indian Express
Odisha to survey children with disabilities soon
BHUBANESWAR: The Women and Child Development department will soon begin a comprehensive survey to identify children with disabilities across all the 21 categories as identified under the Rights to Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act, 2016. The department will carry out the exercise with the help of its anganwadi workers and the Social Security and Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (SSEPD) department. It will also ensure registration of the unidentified children with disabilities on the UDID portal, which is the national database for all Persons with Disabilities (PwDs), along with their socio-economic details. Under the exercise, children with disabilities in the age group of 0 to 18 will be identified. For the purpose, the SSEPD department will spend Rs 5 crore. The last time children with disabilities were surveyed in the state was during Census 2011 which had put the total population of Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) at 12,44,402. The highest percentage of PwDs were found in the age group of 10 to 19 years (15.09 pc). According to reports, only two per cent of children with disabilities are in schools and 0.5 to 0.6 pc of them comprise girls.
Business Standard
25-07-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
RailTel bags two work orders worth Rs 50 crore
RailTel Corporation of India has announced that it has received two work orders totaling Rs 50.25 crore. The first order, valued at Rs 10.05 crore, involves the implementation of comprehensive IT solutions for the Department of Social Security and Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (SSEPD), Government of Odisha. The contract is scheduled to be executed by 20th January 2026. The second order, valued at Rs 40.19 crore, pertains to the provision of 8.4 Gbps high-speed internet connectivity at Central Coalfields Limited (CCL). The contract is scheduled to be executed by 20th January 2026. The promoter, promoter group, or group companies have no interest in the entity that awarded the order or contract. Accordingly, there is no related party transaction involved. The contract has not been entered into with any related party, and the question of whether it was conducted at arm's length does not arise. RailTel Corporation of India, a 'Navratna' central public sector enterprise, is one of the largest neutral telecom infrastructure providers in the country, owning a pan-India optic fiber network covering several towns & cities and rural areas of the country. The company's standalone net profit jumped 46.33% to Rs 113.45 crore on a 57.11% rise in net sales to Rs 1,308.28 crore in Q4 FY25 over Q4 FY24.
New Indian Express
02-07-2025
- Business
- New Indian Express
Government to hand over centres for PWDs, elderly persons to corporate houses
BHUBANESWAR: The Odisha government has decided to hand over the management of integrated infrastructure complexes (IICs) developed for the rehabilitation of vulnerable populations to independent agencies, particularly selected corporate houses. The IICs have been established at a cost of Rs 1,200 crore in several districts to provide holistic care and rehabilitation facilities for the senior citizens, persons with disabilities and the mentally ill. Initially, it has been decided that these centres set up in Khurda, Cuttack, Puri, Bhadrak, Sambalpur, Kandhamal, Ganjam and Sundargarh districts will be handed over to selected corporate houses, which can engage non-profit organisations for management. Each IIC has been designed as a multi-purpose facility comprising homes for senior citizens and mentally ill, schools for the visually-impaired, hearing-impaired and intellectually disabled with separate units for early intervention and physiotherapy apart from the district disability rehabilitation centre. Sources said all expenses for the management of these complexes including the cost of electricity, water, contingencies and other charges will be met by the Social Security and Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (SSEPD) department. The selected corporate houses can also provide top-up expenditure out of their CSR fund. Under the model, the selected corporate houses will oversee the entire management and maintenance of the IICs. Each complex is expected to support around 400 inmates initially, with the capacity subject to change based on local needs and additional services introduced. 'These homes and schools will be operated by various agencies while the corporate houses will be responsible for providing all specified common services,' said an official of the department. The state government will provide an annual operational cost o f `2.1 crore to the corporate house or its executing agency to support the operation and maintenance of each complex. The corporate houses will have to engage qualified personnel for the maintenance of all infrastructure, electrical equipment and sports facilities. 'A bid has been floated for selection of corporate houses. They will be held accountable for any mismanagement. If any of their action is found to be detrimental to the interests of the IICs, the partnership will be terminated with a one-month notice,' the official added.
