Lok Sabha Question No. 3059 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-08-08
Subject: Definition of Disability
Ministry: SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT
Asked by: Adoor Prakash, T.N. Prathapan, Vijay Kumar Hansdak

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT DEPARTMENT OF EMPOWERMENT OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 3059

TO BE ANSWERED ON 08.08.2023

## DEFINITION OF DISABILITY

3059.  ADV. ADOOR PRAKASH:

SHRI T.N. PRATHAPAN:

SHRI VIJAY KUMAR HANSDAK:

Will  the  Minister  of  SOCIAL  JUSTICE  AND  EMPOWERMENT सामािजक Ɋाय और अिधकाįरता मंũी be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether  the  Government  is  aware  of  the  inconsistencies  in  the  definition  of  disability  in various surveys and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) the manner in which the Government would plan to overcome the gaps in counting disabled population in various surveys;
- (c)  the  steps  taken  by  the  Government  to  reduce  the  dependence  of  Persons  with  Disabilities (PwD) on other persons during the last five years;
- (d)  whether  any  such  technology  is  being  developed  by  the  Government  so  that  PwD  can  be made self-reliant; and
- (e) if so, the details of plans proposed by the Government to make the digital ecosystem more disabled friendly and affordable?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT (SUSHRI PRATIMA BHOUMIK)

- (a): The Central Government has enacted the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act 2016 which defines person with disability as a person with long term physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairment which, in interaction with barriers, hinders his/her full and effective participation in society equally with others.
- (b): Counting of persons with disabilities (PwDs) is done as part of Census. Presently, the data of Census 2011 is relied upon for the number of persons with disabilities.
- (c) to (e): The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act 2016 provides for  rights, entitlements and overall  inclusion  of  PwDs  in  spheres  of  education,  skill,  employment  along  with  provision  of institutional mechanism for protection of rights of  PwDs etc. Further as per the provisions of this  Act,  the  accessibility  standards  for  public  buildings,  transportation  system,  websites,

documents  to  be  placed  on  websites  and  Information  &  Communication  Technology  (ICT) products and services, have been laid down and notified.

In  addition,  Department  of  Empowerment  of  Persons  with  Disabilities  implements various  schemes  to  promote  social,  educational  and  economic  empowerment  of  PwDs.  Under Assistance to Disabled Persons for Purchase/ Fitting of Aids and Appliances (ADIP) Scheme, the needy persons with disabilities are provided durable, sophisticated and scientifically manufactured, modern, standard aids and appliances. Scholarships are provided to students with disabilities from secondary level of school till university education and also for research.  Under National Action Plan for Skill Development of Persons with disabilities, financial assistance is provided with an objective to create wage and self employment opportunities for PwDs. Under Deendayal Disabled Rehabilitation Scheme (DDRS), grant-in-aid is provided to NonGovernmental Organizations (NGOs) for various projects relating to rehabilitation and education of  persons  with  disabilities.  National  Handicapped  Finance  and  Development  Corporation (NHFDC)  provides  concessional  loans  to  PwDs  to  promote  self  employment  and  economic rehabilitation of the PwDs.

The Central Government has also launched the  Accessible  India  Campaign in 2015 to achieve  universal  accessibility  for  persons  with  disabilities  in  Built  Environment,  Transport System and ICT ecosystem. Further, accessible course content is also provided to students with disabilities.

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