People with Disabilities (PwDs) comprise almost five per cent of the country’s total population but just four States — Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka — have set up separate Department to look after their welfare.
Suggesting that the PwDs continue to face barriers in their participation as equal members of society, only 19 States out of total 36 States have independent State Commissioners for PwDs. In the remaining 17 States/UTs, either additional charge has been given to officers or the post lying vacant.
Setting up of separate disability department in each State is necessary to provide the benefits of the schemes running for the welfare of disabled persons.
While Uttar Pradesh has set up Handicapped Welfare Department, Odisha has Department of Social Security and Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, Tamil Nadu has Department of Welfare of Differently Abled, Karnataka has established Department for Empowerment of Differently Abled and Senior Citizens to ensure welfare of the sector.
Taking exception to the apathetic attitude of the States, a Parliamentary panel in its report recently drew attention of the Centre to the Article 41 of the Constitution of India. It says, “The State shall, within the limits of its economic capacity and development, make effective provision for securing the right to work, to education and to public assistance in cases of unemployment, old age, sickness and disablement and in other cases of underserved want.”
Responding to a specific query of the Committee headed by MP Ramesh Bais, the representative of the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities from the Social Justice and Empowerment Ministry admitted that rights regarding disability were very low in the order and work was also suffering when there was no separate disability department in the Central Government.
Now, Centre has separate Disability Department and work is also being done effectively and speedily, they noted.
Stressing that no country or society can ever progress ignoring the needs and aspirations of PwDs, the panel asked the Centre to impress upon the State Governments/UT Administrations to have separate disability department to address the concerns, issues, problems and difficulties of the PwDs so as to bring them into mainstream of the society.