Commissionerate for Welfare of the Differently Abled, Government of Tamil Nadu

The Commissionerate for Welfare of the Differently Abled is the nodal state government department responsible for the welfare, education, rehabilitation, and empowerment of persons with disabilities. It implements schemes mandated under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 and operates a network of district welfare offices, special schools, vocational training centres, and rehabilitation institutions. The department designs and disburses educational scholarships, maintenance allowances, marriage assistance, self-employment loans, and assistive aid distribution programmes for beneficiaries certified with at least 40 percent benchmark disability. It also coordinates the issuance of UDID cards, conducts disability assessment camps, and partners with NGOs delivering services for visually, hearing, locomotor, and intellectually disabled citizens. Through its scholarship programmes for school and college students, the Commissionerate aims to bring differently abled learners into mainstream education and reduce financial barriers from secondary school through postgraduate and professional courses.