From Need to Opportunity: DEPwD, ALIMCO and EkStep Join Hands to Build a Digital Bridge for Persons with Disabilities

The Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD), the Artificial Limbs Manufacturing Corporation of India (ALIMCO), and the EkStep Foundation signed a Memorandum of Understanding in New Delhi to implement the Purple Dots – Unified Benefits Interface (UBI) Initiative. Conceptualised by DEPwD, the initiative uses an open and interoperable digital infrastructure to connect Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) with government entitlements, employment, assistive technologies, skill development, and training. The digital platform allows PwDs to create a 'Purple Dot' digital profile indicating their needs, while service providers, employers, and NGOs can list their available offerings, thereby facilitating real-time discovery and linkage within the disability ecosystem.