RIGHTS OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITY
UNDER THE DISABILITIES ACT, 1995
1. Rights to Equal opportunity with the non-disabled.
2. Right to Protection of the legal rights of the disabled.
3. Right to Full participation in the affairs of the life at par with those who are non-disabled.
4. The disabled have been statutorily recognised by this Act and the various forms of disability have been given legal definition.
5. The disabled have the right to be taken care of and rehabilitated in the mainstream of life in terms of this Act and the Government and other authorities and establishments covered by this Act have an obligation to fulfill their duties towards the disabled in the light of the provisions contained in this Act.
6. It is the duty of the central and State Governments to take preventive steps so that the occurrence of disabilities is arrested, provide training to the staff at primary health centres, improve hygiene health and sanitation measures, screen children at least once a year , identify risky cases, provide for prenatal, perinatal and postnatal care of mother and child and create awareness amongst the people on the causes and measures to be taken to prevent disability.
7. Every child with disability is entitled to free education in appropriate environment up to the age of 18 years and the Government should set up special schools for imparting special education, promote integration of disabled students in normal schools and provide opportunities for vocational training to disabled children.
8. Disabled children having studied upto fifth class can continue their education as part-time students, through open schools or open universities and are entitled to special books and equipments free of cost from the Government.
9. It is the Government's duty to develop new assistive devices, teaching aids and special teaching material so that disabled children may have equal opportunities in education. The Government has to set up teacher training institutions for training children with disabilities and prepare comprehensive education schemes providing for transport facilities to disabled children to attend school, provide books, uniforms, other materials to them, I scholarships, restructured curricula and amanuensis for blind students.
10. There shall be reservation of posts for the disabled upto one percent each for those who have blindness, impaired hearing or cerebral palsy for which posts will be identified by the Government every three years. Vacancies not filled up can be carried forward to the next year.
11. Special Employment Exchange to provide for the disabled who seek employment has to be set up by the Government.
12. All Government educational institutions and aided institutions shall reserve upto 3% seats . for persons with disabilities. Vacancies are to be reserved in poverty alleviation schemes. Incentives are also to be given to employers to ensure that 5% of workforce is composed of disabled persons.
13. Disabled persons will also be entitled to preferential allotment of land at concessional rates for housing and for rehabilitation purposes.
14. There shall be no discrimination of the disabled in transport facilities, traffic signals on the road, or in built environments. Neither shall there be any discrimination of the disabled in matters of government employment.
15. The Government will regulate recognition of institutions for the disabled or for those with severe disability.
16. The Chief Commissioner and the State Commissioners will look into the complaints with respect to matters relating to deprivation of rights of the disabled.
17. The Government and local authorities shall undertake rehabilitation of the disabled, grant aid to non-Government organisations, devise insurance Schemes for the disabled employees and also frame unemployment allowance scheme for the disabled.
18. Those who avail or attempt to avail benefits meant for the disabled in a fraudulent manner are punishable with imprisonment upto 2 years with payment of fine upto Rs.20,000/-. |