Question : New Category of Disabilities

(a) whether the Government has framed guidelines for the assessment of the 14 new disabilities that were added to the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 and if so, the details thereof;

(b) whether patients of newly added disabilities were denied disability certificate due to lack of guidelines and if so, the details thereof;?
(c) whether the Government has taken steps to frame guidelines so that patients of newly added disability could get disability certificate from designated Government Hospitals and if so, the details thereof;
(d) whether the Government is aware of the delay in the issuance of disability certificates to the applicants, if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor; and
(e) whether the Government has any plan to implement any awareness programmes regarding this issue, if so, the details thereof and the action taken by the Government thereon?

MINISTER OF STATE FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT

(SHRI KRISHANPAL GURJAR)




(a) to (c) Yes, Sir. The Government has notified the guidelines for the purpose of assessing the extent of disability in the following categories on 04/01/2018:

I. locomotor disability including cerebral palsy, leprosy cured, dwarfism, acid attack victims and muscular dystrophy;
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II. blindness and low-vision;

III. deaf and hard of hearing and speech and language disability;

IV. intellectual disability and specific learning disabilities;

V. mental illness;

VI. chronic neurological conditions;

VII. haemophilia, thalassemia and sickle cell disease; and

VIII. multiple disabilities.

Further, as regards assessment and certification of autism, thpe States/UTs have been advised to follow guidelines notified by the Ministry on 25/04/2016.

(d) As per the repealed Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act, 1995, disability certificates were issued only to those who have disability 40% or more, whereas the Census does not necessarily cover persons with disabilities having 40% disability or more. Delay in issuance of disability certificate by States/UTs can be attributed to lack of adequate medical experts at the district level, lack of awareness among persons with disabilities etc.

(e) The State Governments and UTs have been advised by the Ministry to take up issuance of disability certificates to the persons with disabilities on campaign mode from time to time. The matter is also reviewed during the annual meetings with State Ministers/Secretaries. Further, the Government has initiated necessary steps to implement Unique Disability Identity Card project to facilitate hassle free identification and certification of every person with disability. The project envisages adequate publicity at the district/block level for its effective implementation of the project.

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