Sibal speech gets thumbs-up from disability rights activists
Disability rights activists have welcomed Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal’s Lok Sabha speech, made before the landmark Right to Education Act was passed on Tuesday.
Policy News
Delhi HC directs Centre to amend its insurance rules for disabled
The Delhi High Court directed the Central government to reconsider its postal insurance rules and to treat the persons with disability at par with other people.
Appearing on behalf of the government, Solicitor General (SG) Gopal Subramanium assured the court that the government will take broad base consultation with experts and also take advice from the insurance regulator and draft a fresh policy which will have no disparity for the disabled.
Draft leaves many questions unanswered
Doubts over what the government, the legislature and the new disability law drafting committee are doing about discrimination we hear from various quarters are raised every now and then. Are people with mental illness not disabled people? The draft says that it is a law that covers all rights for all disabled people but there is not a single mention about those with mental illness. What happens to their rights?
The government and the drafting committee say that they want a law in line with UNCRPD. Can this law be a sufficient one without dealing with legal capacity?
“When a blind man cries”
“When a blind man cries, there is no sadder tale”, lyrics from a song by a popular American band became a reality today at the state guest house.Special rapporteur (Disabilities) of the National Human Rights Commission P K Pincha, when expounding on the plight of the disabled had a similar effect to the physically challenged persons among others at the 2 days State consultation on rights of persons with Disabilities Act, 2011 which was organized by the Spastic Society of Manipur at the state guest house located at Sanjenthong today.
Separate department for disability affairs
There was a ray of hope for differently-abled people in India on Monday when President Pratibha Devisingh Patil announced a separate Department of Disability Affairs in her speech on the first day of the Budget session of Parliament.The Ministry of Civil Aviation also decided to review the existing guidelines for persons with special needs in the wake of a spate of incidents of discrimination faced by them at airports across the country.
Draft Constitution Provides for Disabled Relief
THE first draft Constitution has recommended that under special measures, the State should not tax any assistive device used by persons with disabilities.
Article 59 of the draft Constitution says the State should promote and ensure the use of sign language, Braille or any other appropriate means of communication for persons with disabilities.
The document says the State should promote measures to educate communities on the need to respect the rights and dignity of persons with disabilities.
Copyright Amendment Bill passed in Rajya Sabha
The much delayed Copyright Bill, providing for certain important amendments to the Copyright Act, was today approved by the Rajya Sabha. The bill will remove operational difficulties and address newer issues related to the digital world and Internet.
The Copyright Amendment Bill, 2010, moved by HRD Minister Kapil Sibal, also seeks to bring Indian laws originally enacted in 1957 in conformity with international norms and World Intellectual Property Organisation.
NAC for tax benefits to private employers of disabled persons
The National Advisory Council (NAC), chaired by Congress president Sonia Gandhi, has recommended giving tax benefits to private employers of disabled persons, in a set of measures to enable their greater participation in the workforce.
Giving its suggestions on the draft Rights of Persons with Disabilities Bill (RPDB), the NAC has also suggested extending subsidies and financial incentives for starting small-scale income generation activities by household of persons with disabilities (PWD).
Disabled to get preference in house allotment
Persons with disabilities would now be given preference in allotment of industrial housing units, sheds and plots in Delhi as a policy in this regard has come into force with immediate effect.
This has become possible as the Delhi Government has adopted the policy for preferential allotment and concessions to persons with disability as recommended in the Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Right and Full Participation) Act, 1995, for disposal of industrial plots, housing flats and built-up sheds.
Sonia panel slams disability bill
The Sonia Gandhi-led National Advisory Council has drilled holes in a draft law to protect the rights of people with disabilities and recommended changes, including in the very definition of the term.
In its report on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Bill (RPDB), 2011, the council also voiced displeasure that the three nodal ministries involved in the exercise — social justice, health and human resource development — appeared to be operating in isolation.
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