Vikaas - Day Care Scheme for Persons with Disability

What is the Vikaas scheme?

Vikaas is a day-care scheme run by the National Trust, the statutory body set up under the National Trust for the Welfare of Persons with Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Mental Retardation and Multiple Disabilities Act, 1999. The National Trust works under the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD), Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. Vikaas addresses a practical, daily need of families: a safe place where a person with disability can spend the day, learn skills and take part in activities, while parents and carers get some time to work and manage the rest of the household.

According to the scheme description on the National scheme portal, Vikaas aims to "expand the range of opportunities available to a person with disability" once they have attained the age of 10 years, through skill development and caregiving support.

What a Vikaas centre offers

• Day care for at least 6 hours a day, broadly within an 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. window.
• Age-appropriate activities and structured routines.
• Interpersonal and vocational skill training to build independence.
• Family support: freeing guardians to attend to work and other duties.
• Optional transport arranged through the registered organisation running the centre.

Who is eligible for the Vikaas scheme?

A person can be enrolled if:

• They have attained the age of 10 years.
• They have one of the four disabilities covered by the National Trust Act, 1999 to autism, cerebral palsy, intellectual disability (mental retardation), or multiple disabilities; supported by a disability certificate.

For children in the 10 to 14 age group, the centre first assesses whether regular schooling would be more appropriate before enrolling them in day care.

Who cannot use the scheme:

• Persons below 10 years of age are not covered by Vikaas.
• A person whose disability is outside the four covered by the National Trust Act is not eligible under this particular scheme.
• Someone already enrolled full-time in another National Trust programme such as Samarth (residential/respite) or Gharaunda (adult lifelong care) generally cannot be enrolled in Vikaas at the same time.

How does enrolment work? (This is a service, not a cash transfer)

Vikaas is a service scheme, not a cash benefit paid into a bank account. The National Trust does not run the centres itself for each family; it works through Registered Organisations (ROs), NGOs and special-needs institutions registered with the Trust — which operate the Vikaas day-care centres and receive support from the Trust for doing so. A family therefore does not "claim" money; they enrol the person at a nearby registered Vikaas centre, which then provides the day-care service.

What documents are required for enrolment?

How to apply for and enrol in the Vikaas scheme

1. Find a registered Vikaas centre near you. A National Trust Registered Organisation running a Vikaas day-care centre. The list of registered organisations is available through the National Trust portal, thenationaltrust.gov.in.
2. Collect the enrolment form from the centre and fill in the person's and guardian's details.
3. Submit the form with documents, disability certificate, age proof, parent/guardian ID and residence proof, plus an income or BPL certificate if you are seeking a fee subsidy.
4. The centre carries out an individual assessment of the person's needs; for children aged 10 to 14 it first checks whether regular schooling is more suitable.
5. On acceptance, the person is enrolled and begins attending the day-care programme.

What does it cost the family?

Because Vikaas centres are run by Registered Organisations that receive support from the National Trust, fees to families are kept low, and they are subsidised or waived for economically weaker and BPL families on production of an income or BPL certificate. Exact fee arrangements vary by centre, so confirm the amount and any subsidy with the local Vikaas centre at the time of enrolment. This guide does not quote a fixed fee because it is set locally within the Trust's framework.

Where to get help

Vikaas is administered by the National Trust under the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. Information on registered Vikaas centres, current scheme guidelines and the National Trust helpline is available on the official portal, thenationaltrust.gov.in. Confirm the current helpline number and the nearest registered centre on the portal, as these are updated from time to time.

Because Vikaas is a niche, service-based disability scheme delivered locally through registered organisations, readers may be served best by a combined guide to the National Trust schemes; Vikaas, Samarth, Gharaunda, Disha and others, that shows how they fit together, rather than by a large standalone page for each.