India is home to lakhs of persons with disabilities. What are the benefits available to them under the law?
1. Free schooling till the age of 18 years in government-run schools.
2. Preferential allotment of land for getting up business.
3. Ramps in public buildings.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?(2011)
a) 1 only
b) 2 and 3 only
c) 1 and 3 only
d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: D
PwD Act 2016:
The Act lays Responsibility on the appropriate governments to take measures and ensure that PWDs enjoy equal rights.
The types of disabilities have been increased from 7 to 21. The Central Government will have the power to add more types of disabilities.
The 21 disabilities are given below:
- Blindness
- Low-vision
- Leprosy Cured persons
- Hearing Impairment (deaf and hard of hearing)
- Locomotor Disability
- Dwarfism
- Intellectual Disability
- Mental Illness
- Autism Spectrum Disorder
- Cerebral Palsy
- Muscular Dystrophy
- Chronic Neurological conditions
- Specific Learning Disabilities
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Speech and Language disability
- Thalassemia
- Haemophilia
- Sickle Cell disease
- Multiple Disabilities including deaf blindness
- Acid Attack victim
- Parkinson’s disease
Disability has been defined based on an evolving and dynamic concept.
Additional benefits have been provided for persons with benchmark disabilities and those with high support needs.
All children with benchmark disabilities between 6 and 18 years shall have the right to free education.
The act increased the reservation for people with benchmark disabilities from 3% to 4% in government jobs and from 3% to 5% in higher education institutes.
Stress has been given to ensure accessibility in public buildings in a prescribed time frame along with Accessible India Campaign.
