Delhi reports no new leprosy cases, Govt allocates no additional funds
New Delhi: The Delhi government has not allocated any additional funds for leprosy-affected people for the current financial year as no new case of the disease has been registered in the national capital over the past two years, officials said.
The rehabilitation centre in Tahirpur, earlier used for accommodating persons affected by leprosy, has remained vacant for several years, they said.
At present, beneficiaries of the "Welfare of Leprosy Affected Persons" scheme receive Rs 3,000 per month. The scheme has been declared "closed", meaning no new beneficiaries are being added, according to the Department of Social Welfare, news agency PTI reported.
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According to an official, 378 beneficiaries were covered under the scheme in 2023-24 and the same number continue to receive support in 2024-25, "as no new cases related to the scheme have been received."
According to data, under the 2024-25 budget, the Delhi government had allocated Rs 1.65 crore to the scheme.
He said the rehabilitation centre in Tahirpur has remained vacant for several years. "The premises will be repaired and repurposed for other social welfare activities," the official said.
Leprosy, or Hansen's disease, is a chronic infectious disease caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium leprae. Infection can lead to damage of the nerves, respiratory tract, skin and eyes.
The department's Rehabilitation Centre for Leprosy Affected Persons (RCL) scheme was launched in 1981. Initially, beneficiaries received dry rations, clothing, bedding, and medicines. Later, from 1989, this was replaced with a cash allowance, directly credited to their bank accounts.
According to the department, the key objectives of the scheme included -- weaning affected persons away from begging, providing residential and maintenance support, training them in crafts for self-reliance, and helping them regain confidence through self-employment opportunities.
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