Magnitude of Disabled Persons in Karnataka: A Census Analysis

Anil Srinivasarao Kulkarni, Population Research Centre, Dharwad, India
Nakka Venkata Rajeswari, Population Research Centre, Dharwad, India

This paper makes use of data from the 2001 census of India. In India, about 21.9 million and in Karnataka a comparatively smaller number (940,000) of persons are disabled. Differential analysis indicates that 70 percent of India's total disabled are in rural areas, and that more males (57 percent) are disabled than females. A majority of the disabled have a visual disability, and more than one–fourth (28 percent) have a physical handicap. About 10-11 percent of total disability is attributed to mental handicaps in all the districts. In rural and urban areas, the rate of disability is 19 persons per thousand and 16 persons per thousand, respectively. The rate of disability by sex is 20 males per thousand and 16 females per thousand. These rates are higher among the illiterate and non-working groups.