Lok Sabha Question No. 376 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-04-26
Subject: Disability Benefits to Acid Attack Victims
Ministry: SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT
Asked by: JAYAKUMAR JAYAVARDHAN, GAJANAN CHANDRAKANT KIRTIKAR, ASHOK SHANKARRAO CHAVAN, VIJAY KUMAR S.R.

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTR Y OF SOCIAL JUSTICE & EMPOWERMENT DEPARTMENT OF EMPOWERMENT OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.376 TO BE ANSWERED ON 26.04.2016

## Disability Benefits to Acid Attack Victims

376. DR; J. JA YAVARDHAN: SHRI GAJANAN KIRTIKAR: SHRI ASHOK SHANKARRAO CHAVAN; SHRI S.R VIJA YAKUMAR:

Will the Minister of SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of the categories %f disability lhat come under reservation for the purpose of Government jobs and educational institutes in the country;
- (c) if so, the details thereof' and the time by which the deeision is likely to be taken by the Government in this regard; and
- (b) whether the   Government disability  benefits including   reservation in Government jobs and educational institutions to acid attack victims and people suffering from schizophrenia;

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT (SHRI KRISHANPAL GURJAR)

- (a) As per Section 2() of the Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection Of Rights And Full Participation) Act; 1995 disability means blindness, low vision, leprosy-cured, hearing impairment, locomotor disability, mental retardation and mental illness.

As per 2(t) Of the above Acl, person with disability means .a person suffering from not less than 40 percent of any disability as certified by a medical authority.

While as per Section 33, reservation for the purpose of (overnment jobs is applicable (o persons with () blindness or low vision; (ii) hearing impairment; (iii) locomotor disability or cerebral palsy, #s per Section 39 of' the above Act reservation in seats in all Government educational institutions and other educational institutions receiving aid from the Ciovernment is applicable to all categories of persons with disabilities mentioned in the above Act

(b) and (c) As per the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Bill, 2014 introduced by the Government in the Rajya Sabha on 07.02.14,it has been proposed to provide the benefit of reservation in Government jobs to persons with mental illness also.

As regards  grant of reservation benefits to acid attack  victims, no decision has   been   taken by the Government in this regard  No timeframe could be envisaged at this stage for taking a decision in this regard.

(d) The Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection Of Rights And Full Participation) Act; 1995   provides various entitlements for Persons with Disabilities. It also mandates appropriate Government to take measures for the purpose of their education rehabilitation; employment and socialsecurity. In addition the Government  implements various   schemes States/UTs for empowerment of Persons with disabilities. Further; the Government has introduced the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Bill, 2014 in the Rajya Sabha on 07.02.14 which inter-alia provides for more rights and entitlements for Persons with disabilities.