Acid attack victims to be categorized under disability status

As the world is set to celebrate the World Disability Day on December 3, India is planning to celebrate the day in a meaningful manner by marking more infirmities, including acid attack victims, Parkinson’s disease, under the disability category. The bill, proposing the latest upgradation, is likely to be tabled in the Parliament on today.

Earlier, the 1995 Act related to the disability status had only recognised around seven infirmities gifting a hard time to the disable population. Recently, the authorities proposed to increase the number of infirmities from seven to nineteen. The suggested amendment was forwarded to a group of ministers for detailed deliberation. Notably, the committee further hiked the number of disabilities from nineteen to twenty-one.

Earlier, the home ministry and Supreme Court had recommended the central government to give the disability status for the victims of acid attack. Parkinson’s disease, autism, thalassemia, sickle cell disease, haemophilia, dwarfism, and multiple scelerosis are the major infirmities included in the amended list. It is learned that the social justice minister, Thawar Chand Gehlot, will present the bill in Rajya Sabha today. If it is cleared, the central government can give a noteworthy gift to the disabled people living across the country.

There are four key services ensured in the bill: educational aid, financial aid, job reservation, and transport support. The educational has been made free for the disabled children between 6 and 18 years of age, while the job reservation has been hiked to four per cent from three per cent. Similarly, the financial aid services and transport accessibility have been proposed in the amendment bill.