UP CM Yogi Adityanath Announces Pension Hike Plan For Divyangs

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday said physical disabilities should not prevent talented young people from pursuing their potential and stressed the need to empower persons with disabilities from an early age. Speaking at an event in Gorakhpur, he announced that the state government would soon increase the pension provided to specially-abled people.

Adityanath said the disability pension, which was earlier ₹300, had been increased to ₹500 and subsequently to ₹1,000. He said the government would raise the amount further in the coming days. The Chief Minister was speaking at an event organised by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities and HURL Gorakhpur as part of the ongoing Seva Sankalp Abhiyan.

During the programme, the Chief Minister distributed 664 assistive devices to 509 persons with disabilities. He said the progress of society should not be measured only through physical infrastructure, but also by how effectively government schemes and benefits reach people at the bottom of the socio-economic spectrum. He emphasised that access to appropriate support and opportunities was essential for enabling persons with disabilities to participate fully in society.

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The Chief Minister said empowerment should begin during childhood, with a focus on early screening, therapy, parental guidance, special education and technical assistance. He said the state was expanding Bachpan Day Care Centres for children aged three to seven with hearing, visual and intellectual disabilities. Uttar Pradesh currently has 25 such centres, while 28 additional centres are planned, according to the government.

Adityanath also announced plans to connect more persons with disabilities with government welfare schemes by organising camps in every Assembly constituency. He said digital identities for more than 1.7 million differently-abled people in the state had been strengthened and identity cards issued. The state has also provided textbooks to students with disabilities as part of its support measures.

The Chief Minister cited figures including those of Sage Ashtavakra, Surdas, Ravindra Jain, Arunima Sinha and Paralympic athletes while stressing that talent can develop when people receive appropriate opportunities and resources. He said the government's focus on early intervention, education, training, assistive support and welfare benefits was aimed at helping persons with disabilities develop their capabilities and participate more fully in social and economic life.

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