Deen Dayal Disabled Rehabilitation Scheme (DDRS)

What is the Deen Dayal Disabled Rehabilitation Scheme (DDRS)?

The Deen Dayal Disabled Rehabilitation Scheme (DDRS) is a grant-in-aid scheme of the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD), under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. According to DEPwD, the scheme's purpose is to create an enabling environment that ensures equal opportunities, equity, social justice and empowerment for persons with disabilities, and to encourage voluntary action to implement the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016.

DDRS does not pay money directly to individuals. Instead, it channels grant-in-aid to registered non-governmental and voluntary organisations so they can set up and run rehabilitation projects that serve persons with disabilities in their communities. The grant typically covers approved recurring and non-recurring costs of the sanctioned project, such as staff salaries, therapy, teaching aids and running expenses.

The 8 project models

According to DEPwD, DDRS funds eight models of intervention:

1. Early intervention centres, cross-disability, pre-school, with home and community-based rehabilitation.
2. Schools for the deaf and hearing-impaired, with a rehabilitation component.
3. Schools for the blind and low-vision, including low-vision centres.
4. Multi-disability schools, for intellectual disability, cerebral palsy, autism and muscular dystrophy.
5. Rehabilitation of leprosy-cured persons, with home and community-based options.
6. Psychosocial rehabilitation: half-way homes for persons recovering from mental illness.
7. Special learning centres, early intervention for specific learning disabilities.
8. Therapy and counselling centres; cross-disability.

Who is eligible for DDRS?

An organisation can apply if:

• It is registered under the Societies Registration Act 1860, the Indian Trusts Act 1882, or Section 8 of the Companies Act 2013.
• It has been registered and functioning for at least 2 years with audited accounts for that period.
• It has a proper governing body, non-discriminatory policies and sound financial standing.
• It has a NGO Darpan (NITI Aayog) unique ID.

Who cannot apply:

• An individual person with a disability cannot apply directly for a cash benefit — DDRS funds organisations, not individuals. The right route for a person with a disability is to approach a DDRS-supported NGO for services.
• Newly formed organisations less than 2 years old, or those without audited accounts and a proper governing structure, are not eligible.
• Organisations with a profit motive or discriminatory admission policies do not qualify.

This is the single most misunderstood point about DDRS: it is an institutional grant scheme. Persons with disabilities are the ultimate beneficiaries, but they receive help through the funded NGOs, schooling, therapy, early intervention, vocational training and counselling, rather than a direct transfer.

What documents are required for DDRS?

How to apply for DDRS

1. Register your organisation on the NGO Darpan portal (ngodarpan.gov.in) to obtain a unique ID, this is a prerequisite.
2. Log in to the e-anudaan (grants) portal at grants.depwd.gov.in using the NGO login.
3. Select the DDRS scheme and the project model you want to run, then complete the application, entering organisation, staff and beneficiary details.
4. Upload the supporting documents, registration certificate, audited accounts, governing body list, project proposal and the indemnity bond.
5. Submit the application. It is then screened by district authorities and state-level committees, and new projects require screening committee approval before sanction.
6. On approval, the grant-in-aid is released to the organisation to run the project, subject to reporting and utilisation conditions.

How much benefit does DDRS provide?

DDRS provides grant-in-aid sized to the approved cost of each sanctioned project: there is no single fixed amount, because the grant depends on the model, the number of beneficiaries and the approved staffing and running costs. Payments follow the scheme's cost norms and are released against sanction and satisfactory utilisation. Because the exact per-project figures are set in the scheme's grant norms and revised periodically, an applicant organisation should confirm the current cost norms with DEPwD before budgeting a proposal.

Help and where to verify

• National helpline for persons with disabilities: 14456
• Grants portal: grants.depwd.gov.in
• Department portal: depwd.gov.in

DDRS cost norms, project models and application steps can change, so verify the current guidelines on depwd.gov.in before applying. No fee is charged to apply for grant-in-aid, and screening is done by government committees.