Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities

What Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities does

The Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD) is the nodal agency of the Government of India for disability affairs, operating under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. Originally created on 12 May 2012 as the Department of Disability Affairs and renamed on 8 December 2014, the department is mandated by the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 to coordinate policy and programs across 21 recognized disability categories, serving an estimated 2.68 crore (26.8 million) persons with disabilities in India per the 2011 census. Its service portfolio comprises dedicated digital portals — UDID (Unique Disability ID) for identity issuance, ADIP for assistive-device distribution, PM Daksh for skill development, e-Anudaan for NGO grants, and the Scholarship Portal — alongside AI-powered conversational tools (Divya Voicebot on phone, Divya Chatbot on WhatsApp), the Sugamya Bharat mobile application, the Sugamya Pustakalaya accessible digital library, a Video Relay Service for hearing-impaired users, and the centralized National Helpline 14456. The department also runs the Accessible India Campaign, the annual Divya Kala Mela and Purple Fest showcases, and the National Awards program for Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities presented on 3 December each year.

DEPwD operates through an institutional ecosystem of 9 autonomous National Institutes, 2 corporations (Artificial Limbs Manufacturing Corporation of India — ALIMCO; National Divyangjan Finance and Development Corporation — NDFDC), 3 statutory bodies (National Trust, Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities, Rehabilitation Council of India), and 25 Composite Regional Centers supported by District Disability Rehabilitation Centres (DDRCs) at the district level. Technology deployment focuses on accessibility-first digital service delivery — UDID identity issuance, AI voice and chat assistants, accessible website tooling (contrast, font-size, line-height controls), and assistive-feature mobile apps for both Android and iOS. Its GTM motion is government service-delivery led, distributing free services to beneficiaries and coordinating with State/UT Governments, Central Ministries, NGOs, and 72 MoU-partnered startups and private organizations; DEPwD also engages in awareness and outreach through national campaigns, melas, and Purple Talks.

DEPwD is funded entirely through annual Government of India budget allocations via its parent ministry, with all scheme services provided free of cost to beneficiaries (RTI application fees are nominal at Rs 10). The department generates ancillary economic activity — for example, the 22nd Divya Kala Mela at India Gate generated record sales of Rs 3.5 crore+ — and uses regulatory tools including NGO blacklisting to enforce accountability. As a statutory nodal agency, its competitive position rests on its legal mandate, nationwide institutional network, and control of the authoritative UDID disability registry rather than on commercial differentiation.

Name

Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities

Legal name

Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities

Website

https://depwd.gov.in

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities is the Government of India's nodal agency under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, coordinating disability welfare policy and scheme delivery across 21 recognized disability categories for an estimated 2.68 crore beneficiaries through digital portals, AI assistants, helplines, 9 National Institutes, and 25 regional centers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Disability Welfare and Rehabilitation Services

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Disability Services & Independent Living Support (BPAGAEAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Disability Services & Assistive Solutions (Accessibility, Assistive Tech) (BPAGALAM), Disability Benefits Administration (BPAIAKAC), Note-Taking, Interpreting & Communication Access Services (EDALAGAD)

Keywords

• Disability welfare services
• Government social services
• Assistive devices schemes
• Accessibility programs
• Rehabilitation services

Headquarters

HQ city

New Delhi

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Government Budget Allocation: Funded through Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment annual budget allocations for implementing disability welfare schemes and programs

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD) operates as the nodal agency of the Government of India for disability welfare, implementing schemes and programs under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016. It delivers services through digital portals (UDID, ADIP, PM Daksh, e-Anudaan), assistive device distribution, AI-based help lines (Divya Voicebot, Divya Chatbot), the National Helpline 14456, accessible digital library (Sugamya Pustakalaya), and physical infrastructure including 9 National Institutes, 25 Composite Regional Centers, and District Disability Rehabilitation Centres across India. The department serves 2.68 crore persons with disabilities across 21 recognized disability categories by issuing disability certificates, providing aids and appliances, enabling skill development and scholarships, and running the Accessible India Campaign.

Product overview

The Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD) operates as a nodal government agency under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, managing a portfolio of digital services, accessibility initiatives, and support schemes for persons with disabilities in India. The department's service ecosystem includes AI-powered assistance tools (Divya Voicebot and Divya Chatbot for automated query resolution), dedicated portals (UDID for disability identity management, PM Daksh for skill development, ADIP for assistive device distribution), the Sugamya Pustakalaya digital library, Video Relay Service for hearing-impaired users, and a National Helpline. These services are complemented by physical infrastructure including District Disability Rehabilitation Centres and the Accessible India Campaign for environmental accessibility. The department coordinates 9 autonomous National Institutes, 2 corporations, 3 statutory bodies, and 25 Composite Regional Centers to deliver comprehensive disability empowerment services across 21 recognized disability categories under the RPwD Act, 2016.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Sugamya Bharat App: Mobile application for accessibility and disability services
• Divya Voicebot
• Divya Chatbot
• Swavlamban Card
• Accessible India Campaign (Sugamya Bharat)
• Purple Fest
• Divya Kala Mela
• Sugamya Pustakalaya

Products and services

• UDID (Unique Disability ID) Portal
• ADIP (Assistance to Disabled Persons) Scheme
• PM Daksh Skill Development Portal
• Sugamya Pustakalaya (Accessible Digital Library)
• Sugamya Bharat App
• National Helpline for Persons with Disabilities (14456)
• Video Relay Service
• Accessible India Campaign (Sugamya Bharat)
• National Awards for Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities
• District Disability Rehabilitation Centres (DDRC)
• Scholarship Portal for Students with Disabilities

Quantifiable outcome

• 72 MoUs signed with startups and private organizations for disability empowerment
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability4 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Startups and Private OrganizationscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner72 MoUs signed between Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities and various startups and private organizations for empowering persons with disabilities through innovative solutions and technologies
• Indian Sign Language Resource and Training Centre (ISLRTC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerISLRTC works with the department for promoting Indian Sign Language and accessibility for hearing impaired persons
• Army Welfare Education Society (AWES)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMoU signed for promoting inclusive education; AWES received National Award 2025 in Best Institution category for outstanding contribution in inclusive education

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Department for Work and Pensions (United Kingdom): UK ministerial department administering welfare, pensions, and disability-related benefits such as Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and Employment and Support Allowance. Comparable as a larger welfare ministry that, while spanning broader social welfare, runs a dedicated disability assessment and benefits pipeline analogous to DEPwD's ADIP, UDID, and PM Dakskh ecosystem.

Emerging players

• Enable India: Indian non-profit delivering education, livelihood, and assistive technology programs for persons with disabilities, including helpline-based career and assistive-tech support. Comparable as an ecosystem NGO operating in disability employment, accessibility, and service delivery alongside the DEPwD scheme portfolio.

Regional players

• Ministry of Women and Child Development (India): Sibling Indian central ministry delivering welfare schemes, conditional cash transfers, and integrated child development services across India. Comparable as a peer Indian central ministry running nationwide scheme portals, nodal service delivery networks, and multi-vertical welfare programs under the same Government of India umbrella as DEPwD.

Others

• World Blind Union: Global umbrella organization representing the needs of blind and partially sighted persons, including rights advocacy and partnership with libraries such as Bookshare that feed DEPwD's Sugamya Pustakalaya. Comparable as a global disability umbrella that complements national agencies like DEPwD on accessible reading and inclusive policy advocacy.
• Sense International (India): Non-profit supporting persons with deafblindness and multiple disabilities through education, rehabilitation, and advocacy in India. Comparable as an ecosystem partner in disability-specific service delivery that interfaces with DEPwD's ADIP scheme, National Institutes, and accessible India initiatives.

Direct peers

• National Trust for the Welfare of Persons with Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Mental Retardation and Multiple Disabilities (India): Statutory body under DEPwD providing schemes, legal guardianship, and welfare programs for persons with autism, cerebral palsy, intellectual disability, and multiple disabilities. Comparable as a sister statutory entity running disability-specific schemes and protector-of-persons arrangements within the DEPwD ecosystem.
• National Disability Insurance Agency (Australia): Australian federal statutory agency that administers the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), funding disability-related supports and services to eligible participants. Comparable as a federal agency operating a national framework for funding assistive devices, services, and supports for persons with disabilities across multiple disability categories.
• Social Security Administration (United States): U.S. federal agency that administers disability benefits, supplemental security income, and identity credentials for persons with disabilities. Directly comparable as a federal-state nodal body issuing disability identity (analogous to UDID), disability benefits, and medical-vocational eligibility determinations across a large beneficiary population.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/socialpwds
• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/DEPwDAccessibleIndiaCampaign
• Facebookfacebook.com/DoEPWD
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/in/divyang-empowerment-291b21278
• Instagraminstagram.com/socialpwds

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities