Financing self-employment for persons with mental disabilities

Many persons with severe mental disabilities require long-term treatment and medication and the illness affects the most productive years of their lives. Therefore, when the person is on their way to recovery, they may receive vocational training and rehabilitation, where they are assessed for their skills for employment. Based on the assessment and the person's interest, they are given job skills training or taught self-employment skills. 

The state government of Karnataka has different schemes for persons with disabilities that helps them secure bank loans to start their own business. These loans are provided at a lower interest rates.

**The schemes refer to persons with mental illness as mentally handicapped or mental disabilities

Adhara scheme

This scheme is offered by the Department of Empowerment of Differently Abled and Senior Citizens, Government of Karnataka. According to the guidelines, persons with visual handicap, hearing impairment, mental handicap, orthopaedic handicap and persons cured of leprosy are eligible for the scheme.

• Amount of financial help: Eligible persons with disability can avail a loan of Rs 2-5 lakhs at low rates of interest

• Who can apply: The eligibility criteria is based on annual income, disability certificate and other factors. Get more details about the scheme here

Udyogini scheme

A self-employment scheme by Government of Karnataka for women with physical and mental disabilities.

• Who can apply: Women with any form of disability

• Amount of financial help: They can avail a loan upto Rs 1 lakh from commercial banks, cooperative banks and regional rural banks (RRBs). There is no income limit prescribed for women with disabilities to avail the loan. Moreover, the state women's development corporation provides for subsidy of 30 per cent of the loan sanctioned for disabled women. They can take up any business scheme that seems profitable such as bakeries, silk weaving, footwear manufacturing and much more.

• Whom to approach: Directorate of women and child development. Get the details here.