National Current Affairs
International Day of Persons with Disabilities
- 05 Dec 2025
- 2 min read
Why in News?
On the International Day of Persons with Disabilities (December 3rd), President Droupadi Murmu presented the National Awards for the Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities 2025 in New Delhi, emphasising the role of inclusion in national development.
Key Points
- Theme for 2025: The theme of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities – “Fostering disability-inclusive societies for advancing social progress” – aligns with India's shift from welfare to rights-based approach
- The term “Divyangjan”, adopted since 2015, symbolises respect and dignity for persons with disabilities.
- Key Indian Government Initiatives Related to PwDs:
- Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act, 2016: A landmark legislative framework that expanded recognized disability categories from 7 to 21 and increased government job reservations from 3% to 4%.
- Accessible India Campaign (Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan): A nationwide flagship mission targeting three key pillars—built environment, transportation, and ICT ecosystems, to create a universally barrier-free infrastructure.
- Unique Disability ID (UDID) Project: Creates a centralized national database to issue a unique global identity card to every PwD, ensuring seamless, paperless delivery of welfare benefits across all states.
- Divyangjan Swavalamban Yojana: Offers concessional loans through the National Divyangjan Finance and Development Corporation (NDFDC) to support self-employment ventures, higher education, and vocational training.
- PM-DAKSH (Pradhan Mantri Dakshta Aur Kushalta Sampann Hitgrahi): A comprehensive digital portal that offers free skill development training programs and directly connects PwDs with potential employers and job aggregators.
- SIPDA (Scheme for Implementation of PwD Act): Provides financial assistance to state governments and autonomous bodies for constructing barrier-free environments and establishing rehabilitation centers.
