Central
Samarth-cum-Gharaunda Scheme

Details

he Samarth-cum-Gharaunda Scheme is a unified residential care combination of two schemes:

  1. Samarth Scheme – Provides respite care for children with disabilities (up to 18 years), especially orphans, abandoned, destitute or those from BPL/LIG families, or families in crisis.

  2. Gharaunda Scheme – Ensures lifelong care and assisted living for adults (18 years and above) with disabilities, with dignity, independence, and vocational opportunities.

c. The scheme supports age-specific vocational, pre-vocational activities, and schooling/training depending on individual cases.

d. It enables smooth transition from Samarth to Gharaunda after the individual turns 18 and has been in Samarth for more than 5 years.

Benefits

a. Continuous residential care for PwDs from childhood through adulthood
b. Respite for families during crises or caregiving challenges
c. Lifelong support through vocational training, education, and assisted living
d. Promotes independence, dignity, and community integration
e. Smooth transition from Samarth to Gharaunda for eligible individuals
f. 100% funding support for BPL families (conditions apply)

Eligibility

a. Eligibility for Persons with Disabilities (PwDs):

  1. Must have one of the disabilities under the National Trust Act, 1999:

    • Autism

    • Cerebral Palsy

    • Intellectual Disability (formerly Mental Retardation)

    • Multiple Disabilities

  2. Must have UDID card and Aadhaar card

  3. Must not be enrolled simultaneously in Disha, Vikaas, or other schemes

  4. Age criteria:

    • For Samarth: Up to 18 years of age

    • For Gharaunda: 18 years and above

b. Eligibility for Registered Organizations (ROs):

  1. Must be registered with the National Trust

  2. Must have valid PwD Act, 1995 registration at enrolment time

  3. Must be listed on NGO Darpan Portal of NITI Aayog

  4. Must have minimum 2 years' experience with PwDs

    • Including at least 1 year with any of the 4 specified disabilities

  5. Must not be blacklisted by National Trust or any government authority

Application Process (Offline)

The beneficiary or guardian should:

  1. Visit the Samarth-cum-Gharaunda Centre

  2. Submit application through the Registered Organization (RO)

  3. Complete the document verification and admission process

Documents Required

a. For Persons with Disabilities (PwDs):

  1. Enrolment form

  2. Birth Certificate or Date of Birth proof

  3. Disability certificate (UDID card)

  4. BPL certificate or Income certificate

b. For Parent or Guardian:

  1. ID proof (e.g., Aadhaar, PAN, Voter ID)

  2. Legal Guardian (LG) certificate, in the following cases:

    • If parents are not the guardians, or

    • If PwD is over 18 years and guardianship has changed

Apply Online