Bhubaneswar, Aug 3: The Odisha government has introduced significant changes to the guidelines of the Bhima Bhoi Bhinnakshyama Samarthya Abhiyan (BBSA) scheme, expanding the benefits available to persons with disabilities by increasing the annual family income eligibility limit.

Under the revised guidelines, persons with disabilities from families earning up to ₹5 lakh annually will now be eligible to receive assistive devices free of cost. They will also be eligible for educational scholarships, providing greater financial support to a larger number of beneficiaries.

Previously, these benefits were available only to families with an annual income of up to ₹2.40 lakh. The increase in the income ceiling is expected to extend the scheme's reach and ensure that more deserving families can access government assistance.

The revised guidelines also introduce a new cost-sharing structure for assistive devices. Families with an annual income between ₹5 lakh and ₹10 lakh will be required to pay only 25% of the total cost of the assistive devices, while the government will bear the remaining 75%.

For families with an annual income of more than ₹10 lakh, the guidelines specify that they will have to bear 50% of the total cost of the assistive devices.

Earlier, families earning up to ₹2.40 lakh annually received assistive devices completely free of cost, while families with incomes above that limit were provided the devices at a 50% subsidized rate.

The state government has also revised the income criteria for educational scholarships. Earlier, children of persons with disabilities pursuing higher education after Class 10 were eligible for scholarships only if their family's annual income was below ₹2.40 lakh. Under the new guidelines, the income limit has been increased to ₹5 lakh, enabling more students to benefit from financial assistance for higher education.