Pune: Disabled individuals are now required to have a 'Unique Disability Identification Card' (UDID) along with their disability certificates to access government benefits and services.

This new mandate, intended to streamline services and reduce fraud, has led to significant difficulties for many disabled individuals.

From April 1 to June 30, a total of 26,858 UDID applications were received statewide, with 2,168 from Pune district alone. Due to technical problems, many applicants are struggling to obtain their UDID cards.

Originally, the state government developed the SADM computerized system in 2012 to prevent fraud. However, since 2018, the central government's Swavlamban system has been used for issuing disability certificates and UDID cards.

Despite the intention of the new system to consolidate services on a single card, it has caused delays. Those who previously received certificates through the SADM system must now be re-evaluated, leading to a backlog of applications. Complaints have also been raised regarding the necessity of re-evaluation for existing certificate holders.

UDID cards are now being delivered by post since December 2022, but the transition has not been smooth. Lack of clear information about old cards and persistent server issues are creating further delays and frustration for many.

Systemic Issues

Haridas Shinde, President, Joint Committee for Protection of Disabled Rights, Pune said, "The server for the system used to distribute disability certificates and UDID cards is often down, yet the state government has made the universal identification card mandatory for all services.

Providing online appointments and information about specialized doctors available in hospitals would make the evaluation process easier for many disabled individuals."