The Union Social Justice and Empowerment Ministry has set up a high-level panel to consider proposals for including more categories of specified disabilities under the recently notified Rights to Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016.
Passed by Parliament in December last year, the legislation has 21 types of disabilities from existing seven with the Central Government having power to add more types of disabilities.
“As per para 6 of the Schedule of the Act, the Government is empowered to notify any other categories of specified disabilities. Now with a view to consider the proposals and representations for inclusion of new category of specified disabilities, it has been decided to constitute a high powered departmental committee lead by Secretary of the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities under the Ministry,” said a senior official from the Ministry.
Other members include Secretaries of Department of School Education and literacy under the Human Resources Development Ministry, Women and Child Develop-
ment Ministry and Indian Council of Medical Research and DGHS under the Health Ministry, AIIMS Director, Secretary of Medical Council of India and Joint Secretary of the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities.
The official said that all the representations regarding inclusion of new categories of specified disabilities shall be referred to this high level panel for its consideration. Based on its recommendations, the Government will take a decision accordingly.
The Act has included speech and language disability, acid attack victims and specific learning disability for the first time. Dwarfism, muscular dystrophy have has been indicated as separate class of specified disability. The new categories of disabilities also include three blood disorders, Thalassemia, Hemophilia and Sickle Cell disease. Persons with Parkinson’s disease, Multiple Sclerosis, Intellectual Disability, Mental Illness, Autism Spectrum Disorder and Cerebral Palsy will also get benefits under the legislation.