New Delhi, March 17 (IANS) As many as 349 Divyang-friendly training centres across the country imparted skill training and certified 1,883 people during 2025-26, the Centre told the Lok Sabha on Tuesday.

Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment Virendra Kumar, in a reply to a query, shared data indicating that in Financial Year 2025-26, as many as 2,395 Divyangjan (differently-abled persons) were trained by these centres and of these 1,883 were certified.

The data showed that during this period, Madhya Pradesh topped among all states by imparting training to 947 Divyangjan, of which 761 were certified finally.

Uttarakhand trained 226 Divyangjan and certified 167 while Odisha trained 193 Divyangjan and certified 150 of them in 2025-26, the data said.

The Minister said that the number of Divyang-friendly training centres for skill training is the highest in Uttar Pradesh at 83. It is followed by Madhya Pradesh with 63 training centres and Rajasthan with 37 training centres.

Minister Virendra Kumar said the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities is providing skill training to Persons with disabilities (PwD) through empanelled government organisations and NGOs under the National Action Plan for Skill Development of Persons with Disabilities to enable them to have gainful employment and become self-reliant.

He said PwDs are also provided financial incentives like allowance for conveyance, personal assistive device allowance and post-placement support.

The department has mandated reasonable accommodation to PwD undergoing skill training, the Minister added.

He said that skill development interventions for Divyangjan are integrated with mainstream skilling programmes.

Training programmes under the scheme follow National Skill Qualification Framework (NSQF) standards and Qualification Packs (QP)/Job Roles as approved by Sector Skill Councils, the Minister added.

Minister Virendra Kumar said that in order to promote skilling opportunities for PwDs in rural and aspirational districts, priority is given to proposals received for skill training in such areas.

Accommodation/conveyance allowance is also provided for the participating trainees, he added.

–IANS

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