Delhi Assembly’s committee on the welfare of persons with disabilities and transgender people has discussed bringing UDID card and disability-certificate examinations closer to applicants’ homes, with a proposed service radius of five to 10 kilometres. The move is intended to reduce repeated trips to distant hospitals and address delays in obtaining official disability documents.
The discussion took place under the chairmanship of committee head Karnail Singh, according to a report by Jagran – New Delhi. The committee examined measures to connect persons with disabilities and transgender people with government services, education, healthcare and employment.
For persons with disabilities, the committee emphasised making the process of obtaining a Unique Disability ID, or UDID, card and disability certificate simpler and more time-bound. It suggested that examination and certification facilities should be made available at nearby hospitals, preferably within five to 10 kilometres of an applicant’s home.
The proposal addresses a practical access problem in the certification system. Applicants who need disability documents may have to travel to facilities located far from their homes, while long waiting lists can extend the time required to complete the process. The committee called for steps to remove these queues and make the process time-bound, the report said.
The UDID card is used to identify persons with disabilities and support access to government schemes and services. However, the committee’s discussion, as reported, did not announce a final implementation order, a list of hospitals or a deadline for establishing the proposed local facilities. The exact administrative mechanism for assigning applicants to nearby hospitals also remains to be detailed.
The committee also discussed establishing skill-development training centres for persons with disabilities, expanding educational opportunities and linking beneficiaries with employment. These measures were considered alongside the certification reforms, which can determine whether eligible residents are able to access disability-related government support.
Transgender people’s access to skills training, employment and healthcare was another focus of the meeting. The committee considered improving access to medical services, including gender reassignment surgery for those who need it, as well as strengthening helplines and ensuring support facilities in every district.
The broader discussion covered access to government schemes, a discrimination-free environment and coordinated efforts for social inclusion. Members and officials present included Krishna Nagar MLA Dr Anil Goyal, MLAs Harish Khurana and Prem Chauhan, and Social Welfare Department director Neeraj, along with other officials.
The next publicly reported step is the committee’s work on simplifying access to certification, local examination facilities, helplines and district-level support. Further details on approvals, responsible departments, hospital locations and timelines were not specified in the report.
