The World Bank RIGHTS: Inclusion, Accessibility and Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities in Tamil Nadu (P176404) Appraisal Environmental and Social Review Summary Appraisal Stage (ESRS Appraisal Stage) Public Disclosure Date Prepared/Updated: 09/28/2022 | Report No: ESRSA02164 Sept 28, 2022 Page 1 of 13 The World Bank RIGHTS: Inclusion, Accessibility and Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities in Tamil Nadu (P176404) BASIC INFORMATION A. Basic Project Data Country Region Project ID Parent Project ID (if any) India SOUTH ASIA P176404 Project Name RIGHTS: Inclusion, Accessibility and Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities in Tamil Nadu Practice Area (Lead) Financing Instrument Estimated Appraisal Date Estimated Board Date Social Protection & Jobs Investment Project 4/4/2022 6/14/2022 Financing Borrower(s) Implementing Agency(ies) India Directorate for the Welfare of Differently Abled Persons, Department for the Welfare of Differently Abled Persons (DfWDAP) Public Disclosure Proposed Development Objective To strengthen the social protection systems and capability of the State of Tamil Nadu to promote inclusion, accessibility and opportunities for persons with disabilities. Financing (in USD Million) Amount Total Project Cost 232.00 B. Is the project being prepared in a Situation of Urgent Need of Assistance or Capacity Constraints, as per Bank IPF Policy, para. 12? No C. Summary Description of Proposed Project [including overview of Country, Sectoral & Institutional Contexts and Relationship to CPF] The 'RIGHTS” Project aims at ensuring inclusion and accessibility as well as creating opportunities for persons with disabilities in Tamil Nadu, India. The Project focuses on building human capital of persons with disabilities by adopting a holistic approach of creating an enabling environment and addressing the needs of persons with disabilities either through direct interventions or in convergence with the other line departments. The proposed strengthening of social Sept 28, 2022 Page 2 of 13 The World Bank RIGHTS: Inclusion, Accessibility and Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities in Tamil Nadu (P176404) protection systems and last mile service delivery platform will not only help in expanding the outreach and expand coverage of programs for persons with disabilities, but will also support early identification of disabilities as well as setting up family and community based care and rehabilitation services across the state. As part of the opportunities pillar, the project aims to support skills and employment of persons with disabilities. D. Environmental and Social Overview D.1. Detailed project location(s) and salient physical characteristics relevant to the E&S assessment [geographic, environmental, social] The project interventions will be state-wide. The state of Tamil Nadu is situated in the southern-most part of the Indian Peninsula and bound by Eastern Ghats on the north, by the Nilgiris and the Anamalai Hills on the west, by Bay of Bengal on the east, and by the Indian Ocean on the south. It shares maritime border with Sri Lanka. It is the sixth most populous state in India with a population of 72 million and a density of 555/sq.km (Census 2011). It is among the most urbanized states with about 48 percent of its population residing in urban areas. Over 50 percent of the state’s population lives in the coastal districts, including approximately 9 million people in the state capital of Chennai, making it the fourth largest Metropolitan City in India. The administrative units in the state constitute 32 districts, 86 revenue divisions, 292 talukas, and 16,682 Revenue villages. There are 12 municipal corporations, (including Greater Chennai Corporation) 124 municipalities, 528 nagar/town panchayats, 385 block panchayats and 12,524 village panchayats. Tamil Nadu covers an area of 13 million hectares and has a coastline of 1,076 kms, which is about 15 percent of India’s coastline. The geographical setting makes it vulnerable to natural disasters such as cyclones, floods, extreme heat, severe water scarcity/droughts, storm surge apart from earthquakes, tsunami, lightening, coastal erosion, sea water intrusion and landslides (in specific pockets of the state's hilly terrain). More than 26.8 million Public Disclosure people in India and 1.18 million in Tamil Nadu live with some form of disability. Estimation of prevalence of disability remains a key challenge. As per the census 2011, it is estimated that 1635 persons with disabilities amongst every 100,000 people in Tamil Nadu. A recent study that used pooled data from the District Level Household Survey (2012- 13) and Annual Health Survey (2012-13) reveals that there are 4550 persons with disabilities amongst every 100,000 people in Tamil Nadu - thereby indicating a much higher prevalence of disability in comparison to the census data. Persons with disabilities often have poor health outcomes, lower educational achievements, lower economic engagement, higher rates of poverty and vulnerabilities, dependency on others, and they are often isolated from mainstream social, cultural, and political opportunities. Access (due to deficiencies in design and construction of infrastructure allowing universal access), employment and income outcomes worsen with the severity of the disability. Households with a disabled member experience material hardships – including food insecurity, poor housing, lack of access to safe water and sanitation, and inadequate access to health care. D. 2. Borrower’s Institutional Capacity The Directorate for WDAP will be the Implementing Agency for the Project. At present, the outreach of the Directorate is up to the district level. The Directorate for WDAP does not have any prior experience of projects financed by multi-lateral agencies. As part of the institutional capacity building mandate, the project will invest in strengthening outreach and institutional capacity of the Directorate for WDAP as the nodal agency for managing the Disability Program throughout the State. This will be done by: (i) augmenting human resource capacities in terms of qualified and trained workforce; (ii) strengthening institutions and implementation modalities at local levels; (iii) developing and utilizing Information Technology platforms (Social Registry & SP delivery systems); and (iv) integrating currently fragmented programs by moving from “scheme to systems” approach. Environmental and Social Assessment evaluated the Directorate for the Welfare of Differently Abled Persons (DWDAPs), its current institutional Sept 28, 2022 Page 3 of 13 The World Bank RIGHTS: Inclusion, Accessibility and Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities in Tamil Nadu (P176404) capacity and informed the requirement of resources to prepare, manage, monitor, and report on environmental and social risks and impacts, including capacity building needs to achieve objectives materially consistent with the Environmental and Social Standards (ESSs). The Deputy Project Director will have the overall responsibility to ensure that the project is in compliance with the Environment and Social Commitment Plan, the ESSs (including ESF instruments prepared), monitor and report on aspects pertaining to environment and social management. At present, technical staff [a. Community Services & Inclusion Specialist, b. Social Care Services & Accessibility Specialist (who will support environment, health and safety related activities) and c. Productive Inclusion Specialist] have been mobilized at the PMU during project preparation to coordinate and manage E&S risks and impacts under the project. The existing staffing of DWDAP will be strengthened at the district and block level to help screen the sub- projects/activities, integrate E&S measures into the design/activity and implement the ESF instruments. At the community level, Community Service Providers (CSPs) would be engaged by the Project and support creation of a cadre of frontline workers known as Community Rehabilitation Workers (CRWs). The ESMF includes a capacity- building plan consisting of training activities for building capacities of project staff, consultants and contractors as well as relevant officials from associated departments/line agencies of GoTN. II. SUMMARY OF ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL (ES) RISKS AND IMPACTS A. Environmental and Social Risk Classification (ESRC) Moderate Environmental Risk Rating Moderate Environmental Risk Rating Moderate The project is expected to have positive impacts and benefits as it helps develop Public Disclosure state capacity, care and rehabilitation services, including policies and standards that promote and support inclusion, accessibility and opportunities for persons with disabilities, the main beneficiaries under the project. Most activities proposed under the project are likely to be environmentally neutral or may have negligible adverse environmental impacts. However, civil works associated with construction/upgradation of one-stop Social Care Service Centers, establishment/construction of Early Intervention Centers (EICs) in underserved areas, and launching of mobile outreach facilities in each district, if not appropriately managed, have the potential to create moderate level of environmental impacts in the local context. The proposed ‘accessibility audit’ of public infrastructure and facilities (under Component 2), however, opens an opportunity to strengthen policies/codes and introduce measures to promote universal access, thereby positively impacting the quality of the physical/built environment. Based on the environment assessment carried out as part of ESA, the potential EHS risks could stem from: (i) deficiencies in planning/design of facilities, making the facilities unfit or difficult to use by persons with disabilities, on account of limited skills/enforcement of universal access codes/guidelines, (ii) improper construction management/monitoring and, (iii) poor O&M procedures covering both buildings/infrastructure and equipment. The assessment considers, in an integrated manner, the following: (i) type/nature and magnitude of activities proposed under the program; (ii) baseline conditions, characterized by significant variation in topography, natural environmental conditions, population density and physical/built environment conditions; (iii) geographical spread of sub-projects across the state; and (iv) involvement of multiple and diverse stakeholders with varying degrees of institutional capabilities. The anticipated impacts on account of project interventions are likely to include: (i) potential issues related to construction and renovation works such as dust, noise and those pertaining to on-site storage of construction materials; (ii) occupational health and safety (OHS) risks to workers; (iii) inappropriate storage and/or disposal of debris/construction wastes (including potentially hazardous materials); (iv) health and safety risks to near-by communities during execution of civil works, including from movement of vehicles; (v) life and fire safety risks due to Sept 28, 2022 Page 4 of 13 The World Bank RIGHTS: Inclusion, Accessibility and Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities in Tamil Nadu (P176404) inadequacies in design and maintenance of facilities/equipment; (vi) deficient Emergency Preparedness and Response arrangements (including those for evacuation in case of emergencies); (vii) water contamination during construction and operation of buildings; (viii) water stress (the urban areas in the state face high to extremely high water shortages, particularly in summers) and; (ix) limited impact on trees/vegetation in and around the construction sites. Based on this assessment, the environment risks are expected to be moderate. While the likely environmental impacts are likely to be temporary (limited to construction stage), predictable and/or reversible, effort, time and coordination will be required in the initial months of project implementation to preclude the possibility of any adverse and unwarranted effects on environment. Social Risk Rating Moderate The project is expected to have positive social impacts and benefits in Tamil Nadu as it helps develop state capacity, care and rehabilitation services, including policies and standards that promote and support inclusion, accessibility and opportunities for persons with disabilities, the main beneficiaries under the project. Based on the social assessment (part of the ESA), the following social risks and impacts have been identified under the project: (1) Limited accessibility and exclusion of persons with disabilities falling under vulnerable sub-groups such as women, elderly, SC/ST/OBC, sexual minorities, from targeting mechanisms (disability assessment and eligibility determination) for services such as social care services, health insurance program, education and skills training and market linked employment opportunities; (2) Temporary or permanent loss of land and assets leading to loss of livelihood, in case land is required for any physical investments such as development of one-stop social care service centres; (3) Construction induced impacts such as workers and communities’ health and safety, including impacts of project- induced labor influx during construction of one-stop social care service centers (OSCs), establishment and upgradation of Early Intervention Centres (EIC); (4) Risks of SEA-SH (Sexual exploitation and Abuse – Sexual Public Disclosure Harassment) at the workplace, schools, health centres and other establishments covered under the project including construction sites where women and children with disabilities are likely to be more vulnerable; (5) Limited active participation of all sub-groups within disabled population including DPOs in design, preparation and implementation of the project; (6) Lack of inclusive and accessible grievance redressal mechanism for project workers and project beneficiaries, particularly for persons with disabilities; and lastly, (7) Inadequate monitoring, implementation and inter-departmental coordination on social management for efficient service delivery under the project. To mitigate these risks and to ensure strong engagement with the project beneficiaries, the following instruments have been prepared: Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF), Stakeholder Engagement Plan (SEP), Resettlement Policy Framework (RPF), Indigenous Peoples Policy Framework (IPPF), Labour Management Procedures (LMP), and the Environmental and Social Commitment Plan (ESCP), which includes the preparation of any follow-on mitigation plans agreed. Further, the project will prepare and implement a comprehensive communication strategy (Component 1) to disseminate information in a format accessible to relevant stakeholders, particularly to all categories of persons with disabilities. The social risk of the project is Moderate, although this will be assessed continuously throughout the life of the project and adjusted as needed. Based on the SEA/SH risk assessment tool, the risk rating remains low (9.5) due to moderate construction related activities and procedures embedded in the project to mitigate, report and monitor risks related to SEA/SH. However, studies have indicated that women and children with disabilities are often susceptible to higher risks of gender-based violence, sexual abuse, and exploitation. Therefore to address risks of SEA/SH at the construction sites, workplaces, one-stop centers and other establishments covered under the project, SEA/SH prevention and response plan has been prepared as a part of the ESMF. DWDAP will also adopt and implement a SEA/SH prevention and response plan as part of the sitespecific ESMP, to assess and manage the risks of SEA and SH at the sub-project level. Some of the measures to address vulnerabilities of women with disabilities regarding SEA/SH has been embedded in the project design. For instance, the one-stop Sept 28, 2022 Page 5 of 13 The World Bank RIGHTS: Inclusion, Accessibility and Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities in Tamil Nadu (P176404) social care service centers to be developed under the project would liaise with existing specialized centers in the state to extend psychosocial B. Environment and Social Standards (ESSs) that Apply to the Activities Being Considered B.1. General Assessment ESS1 Assessment and Management of Environmental and Social Risks and Impacts Overview of the relevance of the Standard for the Project: ESS 1 is relevant for assessing, managing, and monitoring environmental and social risks and impacts associated with the project towards ensuring that the operation is environmentally and socially sustainable. By improving the coverage, delivery, and quality of multi-sectoral services for persons with disabilities, the project will contribute to human capital development and income generation for direct beneficiaries as well as reduced expenditures for their households. The project will also contribute to improved efficiency and transparency of public expenditure on service provision for persons with disabilities through improved systems for inclusion, access, and opportunities. Indirect benefits will also flow to job seekers who gain employment through the expansion of prevention, case and rehabilitation services financed under this project. Physical investments, particularly rehabilitation/creation of early intervention centers and social care centers would be planned, designed and constructed in a manner that ensures resilience to multiple natural hazards and climate risks. By building adaptive systems and capacities to deal with the uncertainties and shocks in the future, people and assets exposed to climate events will suffer less losses. Environmental Impacts: Most activities proposed under the project, except for civil works for setting-up one-stop Public Disclosure Social Care Service Centers at the District/Taluka/PHC level, upgrading existing Early Intervention Centres (EICs), establishment of new EICs in underserved areas, and launching of mobile outreach facilities in each district under Component 2, are likely to be environmentally neutral or may have negligible adverse environmental impacts. However, the civil works, if not appropriately managed, have the potential to create adverse environmental impacts in the local context. Potential environmental risks/issues include: (i) risks pertaining to inappropriate design of buildings and infrastructure, making the facilities unfit or difficult to use by persons with disabilities; (ii) potential impacts related to construction works such as dust, noise and issues pertaining to transport/movement of vehiclesand on-site storage of construction materials; (iii) occupational health and safety (OHS) risks to workers; (iii) water contamination, both during execution of civil works and during operations of facilities; (iv) water stress during construction and operation of buildings (the urban areas in the state face high to extremely high water shortages, particularly in summers); (v) inappropriate storage and/or disposal of debris/construction wastes; (vi) health and safety risks to near-by communities and; (vii) limited impact on trees/vegetation in and around the construction sites. In addition, potential environmental issues associated with project interventions include: (i) e-waste management (associated with Service Delivery Platform under Component 1); (ii) life and fire safety risks due to inadequacies in design and maintenance of facilities/equipment and; (iii) deficient Emergency Preparedness and Response arrangements. The adverse environmental impacts from the proposed project activities while limited and localized in context, are likely to stem from poor design (inappropriate choice of technique/s, timing and design methodologies that don’t account for minimization of risks and disruption to services), improper execution of civil works (specifically increasing OHS risks for workers and threats to community safety/well-being) and inadequate or delayed restoration of utilities/facilities (power, water and sanitation) disturbed/snapped on account of civil works. Social Impacts: It is critical, to ensure that the benefits/services supported under the Components 1, 2 and 3 reach all categories of persons with disabilities - most notably women, ST/SC/OBC, sexual minorities and persons with Sept 28, 2022 Page 6 of 13 The World Bank RIGHTS: Inclusion, Accessibility and Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities in Tamil Nadu (P176404) cognitive or emotional disabilities who are at higher risk of exclusion from project benefits. Appropriate measures have been integrated in the ESF instruments to address adverse social impacts related to land and livelihood, health and safety, and vulnerable groups including ST/SC and OBC, sexual minorities which are consistent with the mitigation hierarchy and in accordance with all the national laws and regulations including the requirements of ESSs. Environment and Social Management: Since sub-project locations are not known and project interventions would be spread across the state, an Environment and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) has been carried out by the Directorate for Welfare of Differently Abled Persons in line with the E&S standards under ESF to identify, assess and guide the management of the environmental and social risks/impacts that are associated or likely to arise on account of project interventions. The assessment has specifically helped in: (a) developing comprehensive understanding of potential impacts, (b) identifying and appreciating the details of risks envisaged from project activities, (c) arriving at a set of recommendations/suggestions to design management/mitigation measures for reducing risks and help strengthen environment and social performance for targeted project interventions, in line with the requirements of national/state legislations and the Bank’s ESF. This over-all project level ESIA involved desk review of relevant documents/studies, site visits, as well as extensive consultations with the key stakeholders. The ESA has also identified institutional capacity needs/gaps (including on staffing and skills) required to apply environmental and social standards (ESSs) and implement the country’s legal framework as it applies to the proposed operation. Based on the recommendations and findings of the ESIA, an Environment and Social Management Framework (ESMF) has been prepared to guide the project through its various stages of sub-project selection, planning, design, construction, and operation. The ESMF includes procedures/checklist for undertaking screening of sub-projects. In addition, the ESMF includes a generic Environmental and Social Management Plan (ESMP) and an exclusion/negative list of activities. The Borrower has also drawn reference to the World Bank’s Good Practice Note on Non- Public Disclosure Discrimination and Disability and Environment, Health and Safety Guidelines in the design of project components and activities. In addition, the contractors will prepare and implement Contractor’s – Environmental and Social Management Plan (C-ESMP) that adheres to the sub-project ESMP, containing details such as OHS plan, labour management requirements, materials management, traffic/construction equipment management, waste management etc. All environment and social management instruments/documents have been consulted upon, approved, and will be disclosed prior to appraisal. These documents will be updated and re-disclosed upon activation of the Contingent Emergency Response Component (CERC) by including potential impacts and mitigation measures, as needed. All key requirements have been reflected in the Environment and Social Commitment Plan (ESCP), which has been prepared to ensure proper implementation of mitigation measures, including capacity augmentation of implementing agency, covering both environment and social aspects. ESS10 Stakeholder Engagement and Information Disclosure ESS 10 is relevant for ensuring that a consistent, comprehensive, coordinated and culturally appropriate approach is taken for stakeholder engagement and disclosure of project related information. For this, a Stakeholder Engagement Plan (SEP) has been prepared and will be disclosed before project appraisal. The SEP provides guidance on specific steps and actions to be taken during preparation and implementation stages of the project. It also defines the mode and frequency of engagement with stakeholders at various stages of the project cycle. Furthermore, the SEP elaborates on various means and methods which can be used to ensure that information reaches or can be accessed by persons with disabilities, main beneficiaries under the project. Given the extensive nature of project activities proposed in different geographical settings of the state, diverse group of stakeholders will be involved in the project’s Sept 28, 2022 Page 7 of 13 The World Bank RIGHTS: Inclusion, Accessibility and Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities in Tamil Nadu (P176404) decision-making, design and implementation. During the Environmental and Social Assessment, stakeholder mapping and analysis was undertaken wherein the following project beneficiaries and a number of interested parties were identified. These include: (a) persons with disabilities (PwDs); (b) NGOs and Disabled Peoples Organizations (DPOs); (c) parents/caregivers of PwDs; (d) service providers, which include Early Intervention Centres (EICs), neo-natal screening centers, specialized centers which provide psychosocial counselling, physiotherapy and occupational therapy, and legal support to victims of gender-based violence, Skills Development Centers and placement agencies; (e) local communities in the project area; (f) institutional stakeholders such as the Department of Information Technology, Health, Education, Public Works, Social Welfare, Skill Development, Housing, and Transport; (g) Local Authorities - Municipal/Urban Local Bodies, Gram Panchayats under whose jurisdiction the upgradation of existing EICs or construction of new One Stop Social Care Service Centres will be carried out; (h) Corporates and Trade Unions; (i) Consultants to be engaged for project preparatory surveys, audits and studies/assessments; (j) Other Project Beneficiaries and; (xi) Contractors. Disadvantaged and vulnerable groups among the project beneficiaries include those belonging to the following categories: scheduled tribes, scheduled castes, below poverty line, senior citizens, sexual minorities and women facing intersectional disadvantages. Attention will also be given to family members and/or caregivers providing support for a household with a disabled person, as they are often unable to participate/engage because of their caregiving responsibilities. To further manage social and environmental risks, existing Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM) will be streamlined to make it more responsive and accessible to all. Project beneficiaries and other interested parties (OIPs) will have access to an easy-to-follow GRM to raise concerns and grievances. The project will update existing GRM (toll-free, online, posts, etc.) to include features such as online and offline option to file complaint, user centric categorization, alert generation, response, and escalation flow. The GRM will also take up and address project related GBV/SEA/SH incidents.’ A centralized MIS system will be setup to Public Disclosure provide one stop data point for collating complaints (from web, toll-free number and written) tracking the process of redressal with satisfactory feedback for closure. The project will also support beneficiaries’ satisfaction surveys combined with social audit tool to evaluate public satisfaction of the services. The SEP also includes Citizens Engagement Indicators to track the implementation of participatory approaches by the project. The implementation agencies will continue to engage with project beneficiaries and OIPs during project implementation in a manner appropriate to the nature of their interests and potential environmental and social risks/impacts of the project. The Project Management Unit (PMU) under the DWDAP at state level will be overall responsible for implementation of Stakeholder Engagement Plan. At the district level and block level, the District Differently Abled Welfare Officer (DDAWO) and Block Coordinator will be responsible for community mobilization, information, education and communication (IEC), capacity building, among others. The Community Services & Inclusion Specialist along with Skills & Employment Specialist in the PMU will be responsible for guiding district and block level staff for the implementation of SEP. Appropriate arrangements for SEP implementation, including reporting and its updating (as necessary) is enumerated in the ESCP. Additionally, communication and awareness raising initiatives is a central element to this project. The project will commission a Communications Needs Assessment as the first step towards developing the comprehensive Communications Strategy for engaging with stakeholders on an ongoing basis (Component 1). It is important to separate this activity from the stakeholder engagement planning process to meet the obligations of ESS 10, but it is equally important to note some of the synergies between the two processes, which will be leveraged to the extent possible. B.2. Specific Risks and Impacts Sept 28, 2022 Page 8 of 13 The World Bank RIGHTS: Inclusion, Accessibility and Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities in Tamil Nadu (P176404) A brief description of the potential environmental and social risks and impacts relevant to the Project. ESS2 Labor and Working Conditions ESS 2 is considered relevant to the Project. The project will involve: a) direct workers employed specifically by the implementation agencies for the project; and b) contracted workers engaged in construction works and consultancy services firms for specific deliverables and technical support to Directorate for WDAP. Involvement of community workers is not envisaged given the technical nature of the project. Construction work may require migrant workers from other parts of the state and sometimes from other states depending on the contractors’ strategy and requirement of skill sets. However, the majority of the labor force would be generally available within the state as the works largely relate to rehabilitation and construction of buildings. The Labour Management Procedures (LMP) will be prepared and disclosed by project effectiveness and will include procedures and the details of labor to be used in the activities directly supported by the project throughout its lifecycle. It will also include terms and conditions of employment, non-discrimination and equal opportunity, workers’ organization, the prohibition of child and forced labor, and contain a worker’s grievance mechanism in accordance with the national laws and ESS 2 requirements. The grievance mechanism will contain stipulations for sensitive grievances, including those related to SEA/SH. The GRM for workers will be in place prior to project effectiveness. The relevant staff of the Implementation Agencies, line departments and direct workers, including contract workers will also be subject to and trained on codes of conduct for interacting with local communities. The ESA assessed occupation health and safety issues/risks and integrated measures into the LMP. All works and operations will be planned, designed and implemented to comply with the World Bank Group’s Environment, Health and Safety guidelines. The bidding documents for construction works will include reference to the LMP and the national/state laws on labor welfare to comply with the requirements of both ESS2 and country Public Disclosure systems. ESS3 Resource Efficiency and Pollution Prevention and Management The principles and requirements laid down in ESS 3 are relevant to the project. While the project will not finance activities that generate a significant impact (negative) on natural and physical environment, activities pertaining to One-stop Social Care Service Centers, Early Intervention Centers and extension of Mobile Outreach facilities will consider resource efficiency and pollution management aspects during design/Detailed Project Report (DPR) preparation for sub-projects and thereafter during the construction stage. The objective will be to improve the quality of physical environment, enhance health/safety and reduce the environmental footprint linked to use and operation of the buildings and other assets/resources in a cost-effective manner while keeping the concept of universal access to the fore. For improving resource efficiency, the considerations will include: (a) improving natural light and ventilation (when possible, depending on the nature/type of engineering works), (b) increasing water efficiency (to address acute water shortages that the state faces) and, (c) enhancing energy efficiency, including use of renewable sources. For pollution prevention and management, focus will be on: (i) debris/construction waste management; (ii) run-off/silt control at work sites to prevent sedimentation and any possible contamination of water sources in the vicinity (if any) and blockage of drains; (iii) management of Sept 28, 2022 Page 9 of 13 The World Bank RIGHTS: Inclusion, Accessibility and Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities in Tamil Nadu (P176404) hazardous wastes (if any, to be identified as part of site assessment once subproject locations are identified in the third year of project implementation); and (iv) storage and management of construction materials to prevent ground/soil contamination. To create an enabling mechanism for integrating resource efficiency and pollution prevention/management, a detailed guidance will be prepared as a first step in the design/DPR preparation process and integrated into the design of buildings/associated infrastructure facilities. This guidance will cover both existing buildings/infrastructure and new/green field works and will also include measures to build and enhance resilience in the wake of natural disasters and climate induced events. ESS4 Community Health and Safety ESS 4 is considered relevant to the Project. One risk factor is related to COVID-19 where poor community engagement practices could raise exposure risk to the community and the beneficiaries (particularly disability groups who are aged, or with limited mobility or have trouble understanding information or practicing preventive measures), which could lead to further spread of the disease on account of project activities. As mitigation measures, the ESMF incorporates provisions on how to engage with all categories of persons with disabilities, communities, and beneficiaries to prevent or minimize the spread of COVID- 19. A second factor relates to the risk associated with project induced labor influx which could expose local communities to other public health risks (communicable diseases), and sexually transmitted diseases, such as Public Disclosure HIV/AIDS, as well as SEA/SH, child and forced labor. The third factor relates to health and safety risks to the local communities due to movement of vehicles and exposure to hazardous materials associated with construction/ renovation works. The ESMF outlines measures for mitigating risks associated with labor influx, SEA/SH and other construction related activities. The bidding documents for the construction works will include requirements to prepare and implement site-specific community health and safety plans, which would address the above identified issues. The site specific ESMP prepared prior to the bidding process will also include requirements for monitoring and reporting of aspects covered under ESS 4. ESS5 Land Acquisition, Restrictions on Land Use and Involuntary Resettlement The Project activities under Component 2 would support construction and operations of 97 sub – division level One – Stop Service Centres (OSCs), including renovation and upgradation of Block / Primary Health Centre (PHC) level Early Intervention Centres, which may potentially result in land acquisition and resettlement impacts although in a limited scale. The total average land required for the proposed 97 One Stop Social Care Centres in the 39 districts is estimated at 1000 Sq. M for each. The total land requirement would be approximately 25 Acres. The construction / renovation related activities will take place from the third year of the Project in a phased manner. In the interim, Resettlement Policy Framework (RPF) of the project has been prepared which will be adopted and applied for preparation of Abbreviated Resettlement Action Plans (A-RAP)/ Resettlement Action Plans (RAP) for the sub-projects (if required) after they are identified, and their location, scope and scale of land requirement is known. The RAP/ARAP will be translated into local language (Tamil) and disclosed by the DWDAP on its website and accessible locations. The RPF describes the different populations that could potentially be affected, the types of losses foreseen, and the compensation that will be offered to offset losses and restore livelihoods. For acquiring land, the DWDAP will Sept 28, 2022 Page 10 of 13 The World Bank RIGHTS: Inclusion, Accessibility and Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities in Tamil Nadu (P176404) either rely on the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013 (RFCTLARR Act, 2013) for land acquisition or direct purchase/ private negotiation as per Government Orders issued by the Government of Tamil Nadu (GoTN). The two statutory processes outlined in the RPF meet the requirements of ESS5. In the event of any conflict or inconsistency between the provisions of RFCTLARR Act 2013, Government Orders of GoTN and the RPF, the provisions of World Bank’s ESF shall prevail. The RPF has been consulted upon, approved, and was disclosed on the Borrower’s website prior to the appraisal of the project. ESS6 Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Management of Living Natural Resources ESS 6 is not currently relevant to the Project. Based on the environment assessment carried out as part of ESIA, impacts on biodiversity and habitats, including ‘protected areas’, ‘critical natural habitats’, ‘modified habitats’ and/or ‘species with critical biodiversity value’ are likely to be negligible. Sub-projects locations are currently not known (will be identified/finalized in third year of project implementation) but given that the project scope includes new/greenfield construction for Social Care and Early Intervention Centers, any potential adverse impacts on biodiversity rich areas/living resources on account of such works will be determined through an environment screening process (which each proposed sub-project will be subjected to) and excluded by application of the negative list provided in the ESMF. The negative list of activities will eliminate the possibility of project activity being taken up in forest areas, protected areas, eco-sensitive zones or other such recognized areas of high biodiversity value. Provisions will also be made in the bidding document to ensure that no materials for construction activities are sourced from any critical habitats, protected areas, forest Public Disclosure areas, eco-sensitive zones, or any recognized areas of high biodiversity for works/activities supported under the project. Based on the location of project interventions (which is not known at this stage), precautionary measures will be included in the ESMPs to prevent any possible impact on aquatic life (due to discharges from worksites and/or dumping of debris in water bodies), particularly in sites close to water bodies or in hilly areas of Tamil Nadu. Further, in case there is any requirement of tree felling for construction works under the project (likely to be a very limited/small number), requisite permission will be obtained from the Forest Department/Competent Authority prior to initiating civil works and provisions for compensatory plantation in line with regulatory norms will be built into the sub-project Detailed Project Reports/estimates. ESS7 Indigenous Peoples/Sub-Saharan African Historically Underserved Traditional Local Communities As per 2011 Census, Tamil Nadu has 7.21 lakh tribal populations which constitutes 1.10% of the state’s total population. There are 36 scheduled tribes and sub-tribes, and six particularly vulnerable tribal groups (PVTGs) in Tamil Nadu. While tribal groups in Tamil Nadu are distributed in almost all the districts of the state, Tiruvannamalai, Villupuram, Salem, Namakkal, Tiruchirappalli, Dharmapuri and Vellore districts have areas where the Scheduled Tribe (ST) population exceeds 50% of the total population and GoI’s Integrated Tribal Development Programmes (ITDP) are being implemented. The Project will be implemented in all 38 districts of Tamil Nadu in a phased manner, wherein the pilot phase will cover mainly 5 districts , of which Tiruvannamalai, Tiruchirappalli and Dharmapuri are one of the major ST populated districts of the state. These districts also have the highest rate of ST population with disabilities (Census 2011). Sept 28, 2022 Page 11 of 13 The World Bank RIGHTS: Inclusion, Accessibility and Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities in Tamil Nadu (P176404) Further, analysis of disabilities by age, gender, and type of residence (urban/rural) showed that disability rates were comparatively higher in rural areas. Considering these intersectional challenges, the Borrower has prepared an Indigenous Peoples Policy Framework (IPPF) to ensure that the project enhances opportunities for vulnerable beneficiaries to participate in, and benefit from the project. The IPPF has been consulted upon, approved, and was disclosed on the DWDAP’s website prior to appraisal of the project. DWDAP will adopt and implement an Indigenous Peoples Development Plan (IPDP) for sub-projects for which the IPPF requires such IPDP to be prepared. As per the requirements of ESS-7, the project emphasis is to ensure that the ST communities present in, or with collective attachment to, the project area are fully consulted upon and have opportunities to actively participate in the project design and the implementation process. The scope and scale of measures proposed in the IPDP will be proportionate to the scope and scale of potential project risks and impacts as they may affect the tribal communities present in the project area. The requirement to adopt such plans, and their disclosure by the DWDAP has been stated in the ESCP. ESS8 Cultural Heritage Given the vast geographical area of the state across which sub-projects would be located (including green-field construction of buildings under Component 2), there is a possibility of cultural heritage related concerns coming-up in case of certain sub-projects under the proposed operation. The proposed sub-projects will be screened for potential cultural heritage impacts as part of the environment screening process, for which the procedure has been laid out in Public Disclosure ESMF. Consultations with communities will also be utilized to screen any sensitive issues related to cultural resources. Any such identified cultural heritage impacts will be dealt with in line with the national legal/regulatory requirements and Bank’s requirements set forth under ESS 8 of ESF. The site assessment would, in any event, evaluate any direct or indirect impact of project activities on cultural assets and determine the presence of any other such resources that may not be listed with national or state governments (Archeological Survey of India) but could be of local significance. Depending on the determination of the nature and scale of the risks and possible adverse impacts, mitigation measures or a plan will be prepared as part of the ESMP. Measures for handling chance finds have been included in the generic ESMP and will be integrated in the Bidding Documents to handle any such situation that may come-up during execution of civil works. ESS9 Financial Intermediaries No involvement of Financial Intermediaries (FI) is proposed or envisaged in the project. C. Legal Operational Policies that Apply OP 7.50 Projects on International Waterways No OP 7.60 Projects in Disputed Areas No Sept 28, 2022 Page 12 of 13 The World Bank RIGHTS: Inclusion, Accessibility and Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities in Tamil Nadu (P176404) B.3. Reliance on Borrower’s policy, legal and institutional framework, relevant to the Project risks and impacts Is this project being prepared for use of Borrower Framework? No Areas where “Use of Borrower Framework” is being considered: No. Use of Borrower Framework has not been considered. The World Bank’s Environment and Social Framework (ESF) will apply to the project. IV. CONTACT POINTS World Bank Contact: Srinivas Varadan Title: Sr Social Protection Specialist Telephone No: 5785+79127 Email: svaradan@worldbank.org Contact: Pravesh Kumar Title: Sr Social Protection Specialist Telephone No: 5785+79189 / 91-11-4147-9189 Email: pkumar11@worldbank.org Borrower/Client/Recipient Public Disclosure Borrower: India Implementing Agency(ies) Implementing Agency: Directorate for the Welfare of Differently Abled Persons Implementing Agency: Department for the Welfare of Differently Abled Persons (DfWDAP) V. FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT The World Bank 1818 H Street, NW Washington, D.C. 20433 Telephone: (202) 473-1000 Web: http://www.worldbank.org/projects VI. APPROVAL Task Team Leader(s): Pravesh Kumar, Srinivas Varadan Practice Manager (ENR/Social) Kevin A Tomlinson Cleared on 26-Apr-2022 at 06:29:54 GMT-04:00 Sept 28, 2022 Page 13 of 13