ALIMCO: A Force Behind the Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities

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History of ALIMCO:

Artificial Limbs Manufacturing Corporation of India (ALIMCO) was incorporated in 1972 to manufacture and provide State-of-Art Assistive Aid & Appliances for physical rehabilitation of Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) across the country.

Prior to inception of ALIMCO, Artificial Limbs Centre, Pune run by the Armed Forces was the only Centre in the country that catered to the PwDs in respect of Assistive devices. As a result, the needy persons had to wait for years to get assistive devices.

With the onset of globalization of economy in 1991, the Public Sector started occupying a key position in the growing Indian economy ALIMCO is one such organisation working with     Not For profit motive, tirelessly over the past four decades to light up the lives of the Differently abled and empowering them by providing quality assistive aids and appliances and creating an opportunity for them to be the part of main stream society. Artificial Limbs Manufacturing Corporation of India, popularly known as ALIMCO is a ‘MINIRATNA’ CPSE, working under the aegis of Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, government of India.The production of various assistive aids & appliances and components at ALIMCO commenced in 1976.

OUR VISION

To be the leading global organization for the empowerment of persons with disabilities through provision of appropriate technology and rehabilitation services.

OUR MISSION

  • To manufacture and supply quality Aids & Appliances at affordable cost. ­­
  • To maintain the status of largest ADIP Implementing Agency through Camp Activity, Headquarters Activity, ADIP-SSA (ADIP-Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan) Activity, Special Camp Activity and Limb Fitting Centre’s Activity.
  • To maintain the status of largest CSR Implementation Partner of corporate sector.
  • To maintain the status of largest Implementation partner for distribution of Aids & Appliances through MPLAD Fund.
  • To set up and strengthen a network of Limb Fitting Centres and Dealers to make the Aids & Appliances easily available to Persons with Disabilities.
  • To ensure that all Aids & Appliances under ADIP scheme bear ISI marking and are durable, modern, sophisticated and scientifically manufactured.
  • To establish collaboration with the premier institutions in India and abroad to carry out continuous Research & Development work to improve design of existing Aids & Appliances and develop new state-of-art Assistive Devices at affordable prices.

As on date, ALIMCO has 302 strength of employee including 107 Officers contributing to the continued success and sustainable growth of the Corporation. Besides excellent physical and financial performance, the corporation has been able to maintain very harmonial, industrial relations during past two years. Even the smallest employee of the corporation has access to the Corporate management for prompt redressal of grievances.

In order to boost the morale of employees following schemes have been introduced:-

  1. a) Benevolent fund for dependents of diseased employees.
  2. b) Implementation of Post Retirement Pension Scheme w.e.f. 01.01.2007.
  3. c) Introduction of Post-Retirement Medical Benefit Scheme.

Company structure – Head Quarter, Branch Office etc.

ALIMCO’s Head Quarter and Factory is located at Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh and is serving the nation with its five Auxiliary Production Centers and five Regional Marketing Centers at various location mentioned below: –

ALIMCO Auxiliary Production Centres:

  1. Bengaluru, Karnataka.
  2. Bhubneshwar, Orrisa
  3. Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh
  4. Chanalon, Punjab
  5. Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh

Regional Marketing Centers and Disability Rehabilitation Centers:

  1. New Delhi
  2. Mumbai
  3. Kolkata
  4. Hyderabad
  5. Guwahati, Assam.

Market Network & Exports: The Corporation markets its products within the country through its offices at Delhi, Kolkata, Bhubaneswar, Bangalore, Mumbai and Guwahati and with the help of an extensive dealer network to ensure availability near the important Limb Fitting Centres and customers.

The major buyers of ALIMCO products can be categorized as :

  • National Institute
  • Dealer Network
  • NGO Network
  • State Government
  • Corporates under CSR Projects

The Corporation has also exported its products to Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, UAE, Jordan, Iraq, Angola, Cambodia, Uzbekistan etc. and the same have been well accepted in all these countries

Product Profile:

ALIMCO is committed towards manufacturing and supplying durable, sophisticated, scientifically manufactured, modern and ISI – standard quality assistive and appliances that can promote physical, psychological, social, economic and vocational rehabilitation by reducing the effect of disabilities and enhancing potential for self – dependence.

The Corporation produces 355 different types of quality aids and appliances required by orthopedically, visually, hearing & intellectually handicapped persons. ALIMCO has been in the forefront in providing innovative and appropriate solutions to the need of the disabled.

The product range includes Orthotic and Prosthetic appliances for Upper & Lower Extremities, Spinal Braces, Cervical Collars, Traction Kits and Rehabilitation Aids like Wheel Chairs, Crutches and Tri Wheelers etc.

For Orthopedically Impaired Rehabilitation Aids:

  • Lower limb orthotic (Calipers)
  • Lower limb prosthetic (Artificial legs)
  • Upper limb prosthetic (Artificial hands)
  • Spinal orthotic (Braces for neck & back)
  • Prosthetic supplies (Stockinettes, socks and surgical boots)

Mobility Aids:

  • Wheel Chairs (Manual & Motorised Jotstick Operated)
  • Tricycles(Manual & Battery Operated)
  • Axilla & Elbow crutches

For Visually Impaired:

  • Braille short hand machine
  • Walking Stick
  • Braille slate
  • Walking cane & stick

For Hearing Impaired

  • Pocket type Hearing Aid
  • Digital type Behind the Ear (BTE) Hearing Aid.

Aids for Intellectually Impaired /Cerebral Palsy (CP) Patients:

  • CP Wheel Chair
  • MSIED (Multi Sensorial Inclusive Educational Development Kit)

Diversification of product range to cover all categories of PwDs, was taken up by Corporation. Quite a few new products like ADL Kit for Leprosy cases, Smart cane, Smart phone and Tablet etc. for Visually Impaired were added to ALIMCO’s Product range. Emphasized on in-house R&D for improvement in existing products and development of new products. The following major developments took place in the recent past:

  1. a) Development of a Motorized Tricycle (Battery Operated)
  2. b) Development of a Joystick operated Battery Driven Motorized Wheelchair.
  3. c) Development of detachable manual tricycle resulting into considerable saving of transportation cost, besides avoiding transit damage.
  4. e) Leprosy Kit for providing assistance for daily living to leprosy affected persons.

 

Services of ALIMCO:

  • ADIP SCHEME: Government has launched and implemented various disability centric welfare schemes. ADIP (Assistance to Disabled Person) is one of the most popular scheme aims purchase / fitting of assistive Aids and Appliances to persons with disability and ALIMCO is largest implementing agency of ADIP Scheme.
  • ADIP-SSA SCHEME: To provide Aid & Appliances to all school going Children with Special Needs under ADIP-SSA (Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan) Scheme of Govt. of India. Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment and Ministry of HRD have jointly started this cost sharing scheme in the ratio of 60:40 for the welfare of Children with Special Needs(CWSN).
  • RASHTRIYA VAYOSHRI YOJANA (RVY): ALIMCO has been nominated as sole implementing agency by Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Govt. of India. As per the Census figures of 2011, the population of senior citizens in India is 10.38 crore. Projections indicate that the number of elderly population will increase to around 173 million by 2026. The Central Government commenced a new Central Sector Scheme to provide Physical aids and Assisted Living Devices for such senior citizens (age 60 years or above) suffering from age related disabilities/ infirmities, who belong to BPL category.
  • CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY (CSR): Being section 8 company, ALIMCO has taken initiative and has started approaching all profit making CPSUs to take up their CSR obligation through ALIMCO for providing Assistive Aids and devices to Persons with Disabilities. Against this initiative, ALIMCO act as an implementing agency for CSR project of various CPSUs and private corporate like, IOCL, POWERGRID, PFC, BHEL, ONGC, NMDC, NTPC, CONCOR, MMTC, REC, HAL, HUDCO, MIDHANI, ITPO, IRFC, BDL, HONDA etc. Further as per clarification issued by ministry of corporate Affairs provisions of Aids and appliances to Differently Abled persons fall under the activities as mentioned in schedule VII of CSR the companies Act, 2013.
  • MPLAD SCHEME (Member of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme): Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation has recognised the need of serving the disable population by spending the MPLAD Funds for welfare of differently abled persons by distribution of certain Assistive Devices like Tricycles, Wheel Chairs and Artificial Limbs etc and accordingly allowed MPs to utilize allocated fund for the said purpose. ALIMCO conducts Camps under MPLAD Scheme.

ALIMCO and its unique features:

Certain features make ALIMCO a unique entity in the corporate world, particularly in the field of Assistive Technology for PwDs (Persons with Disabilities).

  • The only manufacturing Company in the country registered under Section 8 of the Companies Act 2013 working with “NOT FOR PROFIT MOTIVE”.
  • Pan India Reach: The Corporation reaches every Block and District of the country’s States/ Union Territories. No other Corporate presumably operates in such a wide geographical area.
  • Considering ALIMCO’s expertise and exposure in the rehabilitation of PwDs, Union Ministry of Science and Technology has recognised it as a member for the Programme Advisory and Monitoring Committee (PAMC) for their programme namely Technology Intervention for Disabled and Elderly (TIDE).

ALIMCO has made Six Guinness World Records:

  1. Most People Fitted with Hearing Aid in 8 Hours at Single Location at Navsari, Gujarat on 17th Sept, 2016 (600 NOB)
  2. Largest Wheelchair Logo/Image at Navsari, Gujarat on 17th Sept, 2016 (1000 Wheelchairs).
  3. Most Oil Lamps Lit Simultaneously at Single Venue at Navsari. Gujarat 16th Sept, 2016 (989 Oil lamps Lit)
  4. Most People Fitted with Hearing Aid in 8 Hours at Imphal, Manipur on 05 Nov, 2016. (3911 NOB)
  5. Most Number of people fitted with Orthotic Calipers in 8 hours at Rajkot
  6. The Most people fitted with Prosthetic Limbs in 08Hours (Single Venue)-260 NOB in Bharuch, Gujarat on 28th Feb, 2019.

SALES TURNOVER & GROWTH

  • Progressing on the path of growth and excellence ALIMCO has achieved highest Gross Turnover of Rs.339.43 crores (provisional) in the year 2018-19 as against Rs.228.50 crores during the financial year 2017-18.
  • Fund utilized under ADIP and ADIP-SSA Scheme in the year 17-18 was Rs.109.78 cr whereas in the financial year 18-19 it is Rs.173.80 cr. (unaudited)
  • One Prototype Product and Four new products launched in last 2 years
  • Number of beneficiaries served under various schemes (ADIP,ADIP-SSA, RVY & CSR) by ALIMCO has increased manifold, from 297618 nos. in 2017-18 to 481157 nos. in FY 18-19
  • In last two years more than 4.5 Lakhs numbers of beneficiaries (Persons with Disabilites) have been served by ALIMCO exclusively under ADIP and ADIP-SSA scheme by conducting approx. 1925 distribution camps throughout the country.

The historic city of Varanasi witnessed to one of the biggest ever distribution camp of assistive aids and appliance organized by ALIMCO. The event was presided by Hon’ble Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi in his constituency wherein more than ten thousand beneficiaries were facilitated under ADIP Scheme.

Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi distributing Motorized Tricycle manufactured by ALIMCO during the mega distribution camp at Varanasi on 22.01.16

ALIMCO believes in delivering the value to its Clients through significant investment in quality programmes. Adding value to its products corporation is now empowering the needy PwDs by providing high-end Contemporary Aids and Assistive Devices.

INITIATIVES:

ALIMCO-Ottobock MoU Inked:

To cope up with the technological advancement at global level in the field of Rehabilitation, ALIMCO has taken initiative and collaborated with the international firms for manufacturing new products in the country at affordable price. Artificial Limbs Manufacturing Corporation of India (ALIMCO) has signed MoU with Ottobock,India for producing affordable State- Of- Art lower limb prosthetic systems in India.

ALIMCO Inked MoU with M/S MOTIVATION CHARITABLE TRUST INDIA:

Artificial Limbs Manufacturing Corporation of India (ALIMCO) signed an MoU with M/s Motivation U.K for developing adjustable active Wheelchairs and CP Chairs in compliance with WHO guidelines.

 

CMD, ALIMCO and CEO, Motivation (UK) during signing of MoU in the gracious presence of Hon’ble Union Minister Shri Thaawarchand Gehlot and Hon’ble MoS, Shri Krishan Pal Gurjar, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment in New Delhi on 22.04.15

The MoU will lead to Transfer of technology from M/s Motivation Charitable Trust (India) to ALIMCO India for manufacturing new generation Wheelchair for rough terrains, CP chairs and adjustable Wheel chairs. Production of technologically advanced Wheel chairs will improve the independence and mobility of PwDs through wheeled mobility devices from all sections of society in the country.

Modernisation of ALIMCO:

The process of Modernization of the corporation in respect of up-gradation of products, process, technology and infrastructure has been approved by the ministry with total estimated cost of Rs. 338.04 Crore. Nearly 27% of the funds have been utilized.  “High-end Prosthetics” Workshop got established, modern machines have been commissioned and production of high end prosthetics has also been commenced. New AAPC at Ujjain is fully operationalized in less than one year. Moreover old Canteen has been remodeled and converted into “State of Art facility”. Construction of boundary wall, work of Shed 1 & 2 at HQ, Kanpur for warehouse and renovation of Regional marketing center in Delhi has been completed. Further, renovation & expansion work of State-of–Art Prosthetic & Orthotics Center, construction of R&D Building and Residential Quarters for employees are expected to be functional by January, 2019.

CSR engagement with Private Sector vs Public Sector companies

 

Despite best efforts, it is strongly felt that Government scheme alone cannot cater for huge population PwDs in the country. Determined to empowerment of PwDs of our country  ALIMCO thus approached Corporates, particularly CPSEs to join hands with ALIMCO under their CSR Programmes to provide Assistive Aids & Appliances to PwDs. ALIMCO is establishing as an ideal CSR executing agency for both private and Publics sector.

Why ALIMCO??

Certain points about ALIMCO gives the answer:

  • ALIMCO is Central Public Sector Enterprise which is registered under Section 8 of Companies Act 2013 i.e ‘ NOT FOR PROFIT’ motive.
  • Execute CSR programmes in Project Mode.
  • Provision for Adis and appliance to persons with disabilities is within the activities under ‘ promoting health care including preventive health care’ in Schedule VII for CSR
  • 71% of 2.68 crore population of persons with disabilities in the country fall under vulnerable section of the society.
  • Direct benefit to the beneficiaries
  • Visibility of the project through media coverage.
  • Enormous experience of four decade and expertise in the disability sector both in manufacturing and distribution of assistive aids and appliances.

Moreover, the possibilities of the expansion in the work area of ALIMCO has also increased with the compulsion of CSR under the new companies Act 2013, implemented from 1st April 2014. Applicable under CSR rules, it is mandatory for profit making units to spend 2% of their profit on social activities.

Corporate Governance became the way only to maximize profits by the Corporate especially the PSUs. It left a big question in the minds of opinion-makers that what would happen to PSUs whose entire body & soul was linked to welfare activities and not profit. But if any PSU linked to solely welfare activities draws the attention of economists, thinkers, opinion-makers, policy-makers and other concerned persons including its stake holders emerges in making total turnaround the financial picture, is a matter of utter surprise and delight. ALIMCO is one such and perhaps the only example of magical change. It needs cooperation of one and all for serving the cause of Persons with Disabilities.

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