We missed getting mentioned in the aspirational India and the Development India. However, we are part of the caring India!
The glitters that the budget speech produced “Senior Citizen and DIVYANG budget will be raised to 9000 crore” disappeared with a marginal increment of 122.77 crores from the budget estimate of the Department for the empowerment of persons with disabilities for the financial year 2019-20.
The aspirations of persons with disabilities in India from 2020-21 budgets were manifold. It includes increase in overall allocation to the budget of the department, increase in allocation to access India campaign, budget allocation for implementation of the RPDA 2016, funding for research to enhance technology for persons with disabilities, national university of science and rehabilitation, rehabilitation institute for mental health and so on.
The key expectations also include focus on persons with disabilities in rural areas and health and rehabilitation for persons with disabilities.
Apart from the aspirations of persons with disabilities the Government had the obligation to consider the recommendations of the concluding observations of the CRPD committee that was released in September 2019 and also fulfil the gaps identified by the NSSO survey released in December 2019.
The committee has recommended resource allocations to:
- An action plan for implementation of the convention and the legislations in the country by adopting policy efforts with adequate human and financial resources,
- Adequate resources for the removal of barriers and inclusive information for enabling participation of persons with disabilities
- Allocate financial resources to ensure inclusion in basic public services and support for all children with disabilities, including in early childhood, ensuring accessible early development centres for all children
- To arrive at a de-institutionalisation plan
- Provision and enhancement of sign language interpreter services
- Reaching out all services, accessibility of infrastructure in rural areas.
However, the budget document reveals that allocations for Institute for sign language, Institute for research on technologies for persons with disabilities, assistive device both ADIP and ALIMCO, has been reduced. No mention or provision for enhancing services in rural areas. There is only a marginal increment to RCI, which is responsible for producing the pool of experts to work with persons with disabilities. The expansion of quality habilitation and rehabilitation services in rural areas will never see the light of the day with this marginal increase of 0.50 crore.
The Union Governments allocation for the inclusion of persons with disabilities through the Department for the Empowerment of persons with disabilities remains at 0.04% to the total expenditure of the Government during the last 3 financial years.
As persons with disabilities aspires to be part of development agenda the care plan of the Government is restricted with 0.04% of the total budgeted expenditure.
Prepared by Equals Centre for Promotion of Social Budget, Chennai.
Contact: Sudha Ramamoorthy – 9840282851, Amba Salelkar – 9884045265