LUCKNOW, Feb. 12 -- The state budget for 2026-27 has proposed Rs.2,140 crore for welfare schemes for persons with disabilities (PwD), an 8% increase when compared to the 2025-26 budget. A sum of Rs.60 crore has been proposed to provide e-tricycles to girl students with locomotive disability - school-going girls, those pursuing education and training having a disability of 40% or more. In his budget speech, finance minister Suresh Khanna said under the 'Divyangjan Pension Yojana' financial assistance of Rs.1,000 per month is being provided to over 11 lakh persons with disabilities, which was Rs.300 prior to 2017. A provision of Rs.1,470 crore is being proposed for the Divyangjan Pension Scheme. "For pre-schools of hearing-impaired, intellectually disabled and visually impaired children aged 3-7 years, 'Bachpan Day Care Centres' are being operated in 18 divisional districts. The process is underway for operating new 'Bachpan Day Care Centres' in seven aspirational districts, namely Chandauli, Siddharthnagar, Bahraich, Shravasti, Fatehpur and Sonbhadra," said Khanna. A sum of Rs.8 crore has been proposed for the operation of Bachpan Day Care Centers in the districts of nine main divisions and two other districts in the state. Additionally, Rs.5 crore was proposed for the construction of Bachpan Day Care Centre buildings in five districts. Applauding the provision to provide e-tricycles to girl students with locomotive disability, Arti Devi, 30, a research scholar at Dr Shakuntala Misra National Rehabilitation University (DSMNRU), said, "Girl students with locomotive disability will gain independence through mobility. The move will reduce the number of dropouts."...