Maharashtra extends UDID deadline for PwDs

Maharashtra has extended the deadline for persons with disabilities to obtain Unique Disability Identity, or UDID, cards until September 30, state minister Atul Save said on May 16. The extension covers beneficiaries under social welfare and pension schemes run by the state, according to a PTI report carried by Mid-day. Save said the move was taken so eligible beneficiaries do not lose access to financial assistance. He credited Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis with backing the extension. ### Which deadline did Maharashtra move, and to when? May 16 was the date on which Save announced that Maharashtra had pushed the UDID deadline to September 30. The change applies to persons with disabilities who need the card in order to stay linked to benefits under state-run welfare and pension schemes, according to the report. (mid-day.com) September 30 is now the operative cutoff named in the announcement that was published Friday. The state has not, in the material reviewed, set out a different replacement date beyond that extension. ### What is a UDID card, and why is it tied to benefits? The Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities describes UDID as a national project to create a database of persons with disabilities and issue each beneficiary a Unique Disability Identity Card. (mid-day.com) The department says the card is meant to improve transparency and make delivery of government benefits easier and more uniform. The department also says the card is intended to serve as a single identification and verification document for availing benefits in the future. Its service page says the card is valid across India and can be used for new applications, renewals and replacement in case of loss. ### Who did the Maharashtra government say would be affected without the extension? (depwd.maharashtra.gov.in) Atul Save said the extension was aimed at preventing eligible beneficiaries from losing financial assistance. The PTI report said the decision applies to people covered by various social welfare and pension schemes implemented by the Maharashtra government. (depwd.maharashtra.gov.in) Devendra Fadnavis was named by Save as the chief minister whose initiative helped secure the extension. The report did not specify in detail how many beneficiaries were approaching the earlier cutoff or how many still need cards. ### Where can applicants start the process? (mid-day.com) Maharashtra’s Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities lists a dedicated service page for “UDID Card to Persons with Disabilities.” That page directs users to apply for the card through the UDID system and says more information is available through the Swavlamban portal, the central platform for the program. (mid-day.com) Maharashtra’s Divyang Sahayak portal also prompts users who do not have a UDID card to apply through the Swavlamban portal. The same portal is used as a single-window platform for disability-related schemes and services in the state. ### What does the state’s disability system already show about UDID use? Maharashtra’s Divyang Sahayak portal said it had 13.84 lakh UDID-registered users when it was crawled in May 2026. (depwd.maharashtra.gov.in) The portal also said 17 schemes were listed on the platform, alongside registered institutions and grievance figures. The state department’s website also links to a UDID dashboard for reports and progress updates. (divyangsahayak.maharashtra.gov.in) The material reviewed did not provide a fresh state-issued breakdown of how many additional applicants are expected to register before September 30. ### What happens next for beneficiaries? September 30 is the next concrete date for beneficiaries who still need to obtain a UDID card under Maharashtra’s extended window. (divyangsahayak.maharashtra.gov.in) Applicants can begin through the UDID application route linked on the state department’s service page and through prompts on the Divyang Sahayak portal. (depwd.maharashtra.gov.in) (depwd.maharashtra.gov.in)