Indian state to issue ID cards to disabled persons in an effort to fight fraudulent claims

From The Telegraph in Calcutta, India:

JAMSHEDPUR, India -- Jharkhand Viklang Sansthan (JVS), a city-based NGO, has decided to issue identification numbers and ID cards to physically challenged persons in the state, much like the initiative taken by the district administration of Giridih.

The NGO has initiated a door-to-door survey in rural and urban areas to collect background information and photographs of physically challenged persons.

To keep a watch on fake disability certificates and curb other fraudulent activities, the NGO will come up with a website. All one has to do is punch in the identification number and information related to the person concerned will be on the screen.

“There are very few facilities available for physically challenged people. The government has done precious little for them. On top of that people use fake certificates to avail of benefits that the disabled enjoy like railway concessions etc,” said Deepak Kumar Srivastava, the general secretary of the JVS.

The NGO plans to issue the identity cards and identification numbers within two months to all enrolled disabled persons so that they aren’t cheated.

“At times, we have found physically and mentally challenged people with one or more certificates. Some don’t even have certificates. Hence the ID cards,” he explained.

According to the data available with the JVS, there are about 10,000 physically challenged people in the state. Though the JVS has requested for a government grant, they have not got any response from the district administration yet.

The survey is being carried out by disabled persons associated with the organisation. About 1,550 physically challenged people have already been identified for the task and they will all be paid.

“We are paying them Rs 5 per person surveyed. Once the website is up and running, we will be able to give out data and information about these people,” said Srivastava.