Union Consumer Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi on Sunday, 19 July 2026, presided over the distribution of 84 assistive devices worth ₹16,96,958 to 42 persons with disabilities at his Lok Sabha constituency office premises in Hubballi, under the Pradhan Mantri Divyaasha-VayoShree Kendra (PMD-VK) programme in partnership with the Artificial Limbs Manufacturing Corporation of India (ALIMCO).

Context

The event was organised by the PMD-VK Hubballi centre and ALIMCO, functioning under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. The devices distributed included battery-operated tricycles alongside a range of other mobility and rehabilitation aids. Joshi noted in his post — '42 phalaanubhavigalige 84 sahaaayaka saadhanagalannu vitarisalaayitu' (84 assistive devices distributed to 42 beneficiaries) — underscoring the government's focus on last-mile delivery within his own constituency.

The minister also highlighted that since its inception roughly one-and-a-half years ago, the Hubballi PMD-VK centre has served more than 7,000 beneficiaries and distributed assistive aids worth over ₹4 crore in cumulative value.

Policy Backdrop

The PMD-VK centres are district-level, single-window facilities designed to assess and deliver assistive devices on the spot, reducing the waiting times that divyangjan have historically faced under the older camp-based model. They operate as part of the Assistance to Disabled Persons (ADIP) scheme, which has been running since 1981 and has been periodically expanded in scope and device range.

ALIMCO, incorporated in 1972 as a public sector undertaking, remains the nodal agency for manufacturing and distributing artificial limbs and rehabilitation equipment free of cost across India. The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 broadened the legal definition of disability and strengthened mandates around access to such aids, giving renewed legislative backing to programmes like ADIP.

Joshi credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government with according the 'highest priority' to empowering divyangjan, stating that the ongoing free distribution of devices through ALIMCO aims to make their lives 'more self-reliant, comfortable and dignified.'

Stakeholders and Impact

The 42 direct beneficiaries at Sunday's event received devices tailored to their individual needs, with the battery-operated tricycle being among the higher-value items that can significantly expand mobility for those with lower-limb disabilities. The cumulative reach of the Hubballi centre — over 7,000 beneficiaries and ₹4 crore in aid — illustrates the scale at which district-level centres can operate when embedded within an MP's constituency outreach framework.

The event was attended by Rajya Sabha MP M. Nagaraj, MLA Mahesh Tenginkai, MLC Lingaraj Patil, and Hubballi Mayor Durgamma Beejawada, reflecting cross-institutional support for the programme at the local level.

What's Next

The government's stated intent is to continue scaling distribution through ALIMCO-led PMD-VK centres across parliamentary constituencies. Budget allocations for the ADIP scheme in upcoming Union Budgets, and the pace at which new PMD-VK centres are inaugurated in other districts, will determine whether the Hubballi model is replicated nationally. For divyangjan in the Dharwad constituency, the centre's trajectory suggests continued access to free assistive technology as long as central funding and ALIMCO's supply chain remain intact.