PressInformationBureau

GovernmentofIndia
MinistryofSocialJustice&Empowerment
16December201618:28IST
RightsofPersonswithDisabilitiesBill2016PassedbyParliament

TheLokSabhatodaypassed"TheRightsofPersonswithDisabilitiesBill2016".TheBillwillreplacetheexisting
PwDAct,1995,whichwasenacted21yearsback.TheRajyaSabhahasalreadypassedtheBillon14.12.2016.

2.ThesalientfeaturesoftheBillare:

i. Disabilityhasbeendefinedbasedonanevolvinganddynamicconcept.

ii.Thetypesofdisabilitieshavebeenincreasedfromexisting7to21andtheCentralGovernmentwillhavethepower
toaddmoretypesofdisabilities.The21disabilitiesaregivenbelow:
1.Blindness
2.Lowvision
3.LeprosyCuredpersons
4.HearingImpairment(deafandhardofhearing)
5.LocomotorDisability
6.Dwarfism
7.IntellectualDisability
8.MentalIllness
9.AutismSpectrumDisorder
10.CerebralPalsy
11.MuscularDystrophy
12.ChronicNeurologicalconditions
13.SpecificLearningDisabilities
14.MultipleSclerosis
15.SpeechandLanguagedisability
16.Thalassemia
17.Hemophilia
18.SickleCelldisease
19.MultipleDisabilitiesincludingdeafblindness

20.AcidAttackvictim
21.Parkinson'sdisease
iii.SpeechandLanguageDisabilityandSpecificLearningDisabilityhavebeenaddedforthefirsttime.AcidAttack
Victims have been included. Dwarfism, muscular dystrophy have has been indicated as separate class of specified
disability.TheNewcategoriesofdisabilitiesalsoincludedthreeblooddisorders,Thalassemia,HemophiliaandSickle
Celldisease.

iv.Inaddition,theGovernmenthasbeenauthorizedtonotifyanyothercategoryofspecifieddisability.

v.Responsibilityhasbeencastupontheappropriategovernmentstotakeeffectivemeasurestoensurethatthepersons
withdisabilitiesenjoytheirrightsequallywithothers.
vi. Additionalbenefitssuchasreservationinhighereducation,governmentjobs,reservationinallocationofland,
poverty alleviation schemes etc. have been provided for persons with benchmark disabilities and those with high
supportneeds.
vii.Everychildwithbenchmarkdisabilitybetweentheagegroupof6and18yearsshallhavetherighttofreeeducation.
viii.Governmentfundededucationalinstitutionsaswellasthegovernmentrecognizedinstitutionswillhavetoprovide
inclusiveeducationtothechildrenwithdisabilities.

ix.ForstrengtheningthePrimeMinister'sAccessibleIndiaCampaign,stresshasbeengiventoensureaccessibilityin
publicbuildings(bothGovernmentandprivate)inaprescribedtimeframe.
 x.Reservationinvacanciesingovernmentestablishmentshasbeenincreasedfrom3%to4%forcertainpersonsorclass

ofpersonswithbenchmarkdisability.
xi. TheBillprovidesforgrantofguardianshipbyDistrictCourtunderwhichtherewillbejointdecisionmaking
betweentheguardianandthepersonswithdisabilities.
xii.BroadbasedCentral&StateAdvisoryBoardsonDisabilityaretobesetuptoserveasapexpolicymakingbodiesat
theCentralandStatelevel.
xiii. OfficeofChiefCommissionerofPersonswithDisabilitieshasbeenstrengthenedwhowillnowbeassistedby2
CommissionersandanAdvisoryCommitteecomprisingofnotmorethan11membersdrawnfromexpertsinvarious
disabilities.
xiv. Similarly, the office of State Commissioners of Disabilities has been strengthened who will be assisted by an
AdvisoryCommitteecomprisingofnotmorethan5membersdrawnfromexpertsinvariousdisabilities.

xv.TheChiefCommissionerforPersonswithDisabilitiesandtheStateCommissionerswillactasregulatorybodiesand
GrievanceRedressalagenciesandalsomonitorimplementationoftheAct.
xvi.DistrictlevelcommitteeswillbeconstitutedbytheStateGovernmentstoaddresslocalconcernsofPwDs.Detailsof
theirconstitutionandthefunctionsofsuchcommitteeswouldbeprescribedbytheStateGovernmentsintherules.
xvii.CreationofNationalandStateFundwillbecreatedtoprovidefinancialsupporttothepersonswithdisabilities.The
existing National Fund for Persons with Disabilities and the Trust Fund for Empowerment of Persons with
DisabilitieswillbesubsumedwiththeNationalFund.

xviii. TheBillprovidesforpenaltiesforoffencescommittedagainstpersonswithdisabilitiesandalsoviolationofthe
provisionsofthenewlaw.
xix.SpecialCourtswillbedesignatedineachdistricttohandlecasesconcerningviolationofrightsofPwDs.
3.TheNewActwillbringourlawinlinewiththeUnitedNationalConventionontheRightsofPersonswithDisabilities
(UNCRPD),towhichIndiaisasignatory.ThiswillfulfilltheobligationsonthepartofIndiaintermsofUNCRD.Further,the
newlawwillnotonlyenhancetheRightsandEntitlementsofDivyangjanbutalsoprovideeffectivemechanismforensuring
theirempowermentandtrueinclusionintotheSocietyinasatisfactorymanner.

*****
SanjayKumar/jk/MoSJ&E/16.12.2016