The NPRD expresses its complete disenchantment with the 2019-20 budget. It is a total let down as far as the disabled community in the country are concerned.
It is regrettable that the Finance Minister let alone making adequate provisions, did not even contemplate the necessity of even making a reference to the disabled community. The only time she did refer to the disabled was in the context of coins “identifiable” by the visually impaired and the deduction limit for disabled Income Tax payers. Both of these were done earlier. The Finance Minister maintained a complete silence on the flagship Accessible Indiacampaign launched by the earlier version of the Modi government. While in earlier budgets, accessibility of railways was at least talked about, here the FM gave it a complete miss. In the Majboot desh ke liye majboot nagrik scheme of things, that the Finance Minister was waxing eloquent, the disabled do not seem to figure at all.
The budget fails to acknowledge the existence of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016. It continues to make provisions under the now repealed PwD Act, 1995. No allocations for the implementation of the various provisions contained in the RPD Act, 2016 are made. Even for the “Scheme for Implementation for Persons with Disabilities Act”, 1995, the increase has been a mere Rs. 15 crores. The Demand for Grants for the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities shows a marginal increase of Rs. 134 crores only. Even the “Assistance to Disabled Persons for Purchase / Fitting of Aids and Appliances” has seen an increase of a paltry Rs. 6.58 crores.
While pension for the disabled continues to remain at a measly Rs. 300/- for the past several years, the proposal to set up a “Social Stock Exchange” shows yet again the abandonment of the government’s commitment to the welfare of its citizens, especially the marginalised.
It is shocking that even the meagre allocations made for “Research on disability related technology products and issues” has been stopped. Same is the case with “in service training and sensitization, employment of physically challenged”.
Given the lack of commitment, it is no surprise that the National University of Rehabilitation Science & Disability Studies announced in 2015 and the National Institute of Mental Health Rehabilitation promised in 2016 are yet to see the light of the day.
The government seems oblivious of the alarming increase in the number of suicides and mental health issues coming to the fore as also the commitments made under the Mental Health Care Act 2017. This is exposed by its refusal to make any substantial increase in the allocations for Mental Health programmes and Institutes.
The announcements made to vigorously pursue privatization of various public sector undertakings including the railways will adversely affect the disabled also. With the government unrelenting on the demand to extend reservations to the private sector, shrinking employment avenues in the government sector will see the bourgeoning in the ranks of the unemployed disabled.
Disability budgeting and dis-aggregated data on allocations across various ministries for disability has been one of the key demands of the disabled people’s organisations. Unfortunately, this has not been forthcoming.
Obviously, inclusiveness and the ease of living that the Finance Minister talked about does not take into consideration the disabled. The government remains content with bestowing divine status by labelling them divyang.
-Muralidharan, General Secretary, NPRD