Sarkari Yojana
Disha – Early Intervention and School Readiness Scheme
About Disha – Early Intervention and School Readiness Scheme
The Disha-Early Intervention and School Readiness Scheme was launched by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India. It sets up Disha Centres offering early intervention to Persons with Disability (PwD) aged 0-10, as covered under the National Trust Act, through therapies, training, and support for family members.
Scheme Overview
Central Government
Ministry Of Social Justice and Empowerment
Department Of Empowerment Of Persons With Disabilities
Individual
Scheme Details
Eligibility Requirements
To qualify for Disha - Early Intervention and School Readiness Scheme, applicants must satisfy the following conditions:
To be enrolled at a Disha Centre, a PwD must meet these criteria:
The PwD must be between 0-10 years of…
The PwD must be between 0-10 years of age.
The PwD must have one of the disabilities…
The PwD must have one of the disabilities covered by the National Trust Act, 1999, namely Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Mental Retardation and Multiple Disabilities.
Benefits Provided
Disha - Early Intervention and School Readiness Scheme provides the following benefits to eligible applicants:
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1. Day Care: Day-care facilities for the PwD, for at least 4 hours a day.1. Staffing: Therapies, training, and support for family members.1. Counselling: Counselling and guidance, particularly on Activities for Daily Living (ADL), for parents or guardians of the PwD, with regular follow-up by the RO to ensure they attend a minimum number of counselling sessions.1. Transport Facilities: Registered Organisations may also provide transport for the PwD where it suits both parties. 1. Assessment and Evaluation: The PwD must be regularly assessed and evaluated by experts in the relevant field, to understand individual needs and track progress.
Documents Required
Applicants should keep the following documents ready before starting the application:
The completed enrolment form
The completed enrolment form.
The PwD's birth certificate or another proof of…
The PwD's birth certificate or another proof of date of birth.
A certificate confirming the disability
A certificate confirming the disability.
For an LIG or BPL family, a BPL…
For an LIG or BPL family, a BPL certificate or income certificate of the parent or guardian, issued by a competent authority authorized by the concerned State/ Union Territory.
A document proving the identity of the parent…
A document proving the identity of the parent or guardian.
Proof of local residence, which is mandatory for…
Proof of local residence, which is mandatory for an LIG parent or guardian, or for parents of a PwD using the transport facility.
How to Apply
Offline Application
Applicants can apply for Disha - Early Intervention and School Readiness Scheme through the offline application process outlined below.
Registered Organisations (ROs) Enrolment (first approval) Process:
The NGO registered with the National Trust logs…
The NGO registered with the National Trust logs into the National Trust website.
The application form, available online on the National…
The application form, available online on the National Trust website, must be submitted online only. The enrolment application fee for the Disha scheme is INR 1000/-.
Once the National Trust receives the application form…
Once the National Trust receives the application form and documents, it verifies them and then initiates a physical verification. If more information is needed from the RO, the RO gets 15 days to provide it. Note that documents related to physical verification of the RO and proposed Disha Centre may be submitted either at the time of enrolment on the National Trust website, or even after the online form has been submitted. If the RO cannot submit these on time, it gets 15 days from the date it receives the National Trust's notification.
The final decision on the application/proposal follows completion…
The final decision on the application/proposal follows completion of all necessary formalities. Based on the physical verification report, the application is approved if the RO meets the scheme's criteria and requirements; if there is any discrepancy, the RO is informed accordingly.
The National Trust must communicate with the RO…
The National Trust must communicate with the RO within 15 days of receipt. For an online form, the point of receipt is the date and time the form and all required documents were submitted. However, if information is missing, the National Trust must communicate with the RO within 10 days of receiving the online submission.
If the hardcopy of the form and other…
If the hardcopy of the form and other documents is not received within 15 days of the online point of receipt, the National Trust must send a follow-up communication to the RO within 10 days of that deadline (i.e., within 25 days of the point of receipt).
Once enrolment is complete, a scheme ID is…
Once enrolment is complete, a scheme ID is generated for the RO, and confirmation is communicated to the RO.
The National Trust also hands the RO a…
The National Trust also hands the RO a starter kit/Disha handbook covering full details of the Disha scheme.
The National Trust begins disbursing funds to cover…
The National Trust begins disbursing funds to cover the ROs' setup cost. The National Trust should proactively reach out to NGOs or ROs that had earlier approached it for the Aspiration scheme. Enrolment of PwD at the Disha Centre:
The PwD comes to the centre with the…
The PwD comes to the centre with the required proof.
The Disha centre conducts a PwD Assessment Test…
The Disha centre conducts a PwD Assessment Test with the help of a Therapist or Counsellor. a) If the PwD is found fit to attend school, parents receive guidance and counselling on general care, details of special or regular schools, and other National Trust schemes available for the PwD. Parents wishing to send the child to a regular or special school instead of the Disha Centre may exit the process at this point. b) If parents want to send the PwD to the Disha Centre (whether or not alongside attending school) even though the child is fit to attend school, or if the child is found unfit for regular classes per the Assessment Test, proceed to the next step.
When enrolling the PwD at the Disha Centre,…
When enrolling the PwD at the Disha Centre, the concerned RO checks whether the PwD qualifies for LIG or BPL funding from the National Trust. The National Trust generally funds based on the information the RO provides, but reserves the right to verify this through other sources if needed.
Parents or guardians must bring the Enrolment Form…
Parents or guardians must bring the Enrolment Form along with originals and photocopies of the required documents. The RO must keep each PwD's documents and records in a separate file.
Once all the submitted documents are successfully verified,…
Once all the submitted documents are successfully verified, the PwD is enrolled at the Disha Centre, and the parents/guardians receive a confirmation Enrolment ID card/receipt along with a starter kit. Disha representatives should explain the centre's schedule, starting date, and rules to the parents or guardians.
Disha representatives must give parents and guardians a…
Disha representatives must give parents and guardians a detailed briefing on the Niramaya health insurance scheme, if they have not already availed it, and can help register the PwD under Niramaya if the parents or guardians wish.
Exclusions / Who Is Not Eligible
> PwD should not be registered under Samarth scheme.
Official Application & Website
Verify the latest eligibility, dates and instructions before applying.