Karnataka's first-of-its-kind scheme aims at rewarding caregivers

Touted as a first-of-its-kind initiative for ‘caregivers’, the state government is all set to roll out a scheme wherein those tending to patients suffering from cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, Parkinson’s, and multiple sclerosis, will receive a monthly stipend of Rs 1,000. To that end, multipurpose rehabilitation workers (MRW), and village rehabilitation workers (VRW) across the state have started compiling a list of such caregivers.  

Director of the Directorate for Empowerment of Differently-Abled and Senior Citizens Siddeshwara N confirmed to DH that the state government had issued an order dated June 26, 2024, wherein it is stated that caregivers will receive a monthly stipend. “The state government have set aside a sum of Rs 4 crore towards paying the stipend as an incentive to the caregivers,” Siddeshwara said.  

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had announced the allocation of Rs 4 crore towards disbursal of incentive to caregivers.

The director had submitted a proposal recommending to the government the need to reward the caregivers with an incentive, in May this year. The proposal had sought stipend to caregivers attending on patients afflicted with problems of the spine, the mentally retarded. However, such caregivers have not been brought under the ambit of the government order, sources said.

In each district, a four-member committee headed by the deputy director of the Woman and Child Welfare department will be constituted to compile the list of caregivers who will benefit from the scheme.  

Member-secretary of the Committee and District Disabled Welfare Officers Maneesh Nayak confirmed to DH that MRWs and VRWs had begun the task of compiling the list of caregivers. However, the patients being attended to by the caregivers should possess Unique Disability Identity Card (UDID).

“Caregivers attending to patients with a disability of more than 75% will be eligible to receive the stipend. There is no ceiling on age or income. Coastal districts have the highest number of caregivers attending to patients with cerebral palsy, and the mentally retarded,” said Shivu Rathod, a member of the Vikalachethanara Vikas, a WhatsApp group created to raise awareness among people about schemes for the differently abled.  

Jayaprakash Kulal, an MRW in Mangaluru taluk, cited the case of a caregiver in Kotekar tending to a patient with cerebral palsy, who was also mentally retarded, not being eligible for the incentive, since the patient in question did not have a UDID card.

“In Mangaluru taluk alone, 140 applications for UDID cards are pending clearance. Those who do not have UDID cards appear to be not having Aadhaar cards also. The incentive scheme will ensure that patients with degenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s will have someone to attend to them,” Jaya Kulal said.