Rights of Persons with Disabilities Bill - 2016 Passed by Parliament

Published By : Admin | December 16, 2016 | 18:50 IST
QuoteLok Sabha passes "The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Bill – 2016
QuoteDisability has been defined based on an evolving and dynamic concept in this bill
QuoteTypes of disabilities have been increased from 7 to 21 in The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Bill

The Lok Sabha today passed "The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Bill - 2016". The Bill will replace the existing PwD Act, 1995, which was enacted 21 years back. The Rajya Sabha has already passed the Bill on 14.12.2016.

The salient features of the Bill are:

  1. Disability has been defined based on an evolving and dynamic concept.
  2. The types of disabilities have been increased from existing 7 to 21 and the Central Government will have the power to add more types of disabilities. The 21 disabilities are given below:-
  3. Blindness
  4. Low-vision
  5. Leprosy Cured persons
  6. Hearing Impairment (deaf and hard of hearing)
  7. Locomotor Disability
  8. Dwarfism
  9. Intellectual Disability
  10. Mental Illness
  11. Autism Spectrum Disorder
  12. Cerebral Palsy
  13. Muscular Dystrophy
  14. Chronic Neurological conditions
  15. Specific Learning Disabilities
  16. Multiple Sclerosis
  17. Speech and Language disability
  18. Thalassemia
  19. Hemophilia
  20. Sickle Cell disease
  21. Multiple Disabilities including deafblindness
  22. Acid Attack victim
  23. Parkinson's disease

iii. Speech and Language Disability and Specific Learning Disability have been added for the first time. Acid Attack Victims have been included. Dwarfism, muscular dystrophy have has been indicated as separate class of specified disability. The New categories of disabilities also included three blood disorders, Thalassemia, Hemophilia and Sickle Cell disease.

iv. In addition, the Government has been authorized to notify any other category of specified disability.

v. Responsibility has been cast upon the appropriate governments to take effective measures to ensure that the persons with disabilities enjoy their rights equally with others.

vi. Additional benefits such as reservation in higher education, government jobs, reservation in allocation of land, poverty alleviation schemes etc. have been provided for persons with benchmark disabilities and those with high support needs.

vii. Every child with benchmark disability between the age group of 6 and 18 years shall have the right to free education.

viii. Government funded educational institutions as well as the government recognized institutions will have to provide inclusive education to the children with disabilities.

  1. For strengthening the Prime Minister's Accessible India Campaign, stress has been given to ensure accessibility in public buildings (both Government and private) in a prescribed time-frame.
  2. Reservation in vacancies in government establishments has been increased from 3% to 4% for certain persons or class of persons with benchmark disability.
  3. The Bill provides for grant of guardianship by District Court under which there will be joint decision – making between the guardian and the persons with disabilities.

      xii. Broad based Central & State Advisory Boards on Disability are to be set up to serve as apex policy making bodies at the Central and State level.

    xiii. Office of Chief Commissioner of Persons with Disabilities has been strengthened who will now be assisted by 2 Commissioners and an Advisory Committee comprising of not more than 11 members drawn from experts in various disabilities.

     xiv. Similarly, the office of State Commissioners of Disabilities has been strengthened who will be assisted by an Advisory Committee comprising of not more than 5 members drawn from experts in various disabilities.

  1. The Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities and the State Commissioners will act as regulatory bodies and Grievance Redressal agencies and also monitor implementation of the Act.

     xvi. District level committees will be constituted by the State Governments to address local concerns of PwDs. Details of their constitution and the functions of such committees would be prescribed by the State Governments in the rules.

     xvii.  Creation of National and State Fund will be created to provide financial support to the persons with disabilities. The existing National Fund for Persons with Disabilities and the Trust Fund for Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities will be subsumed with the National Fund.

   xviii.  The Bill provides for penalties for offences committed against persons with disabilities and also violation of the provisions of the new law.

       xix. Special Courts will be designated in each district to handle cases concerning violation of rights of PwDs.

  1. The New Act will bring our law in line with the United National Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), to which India is a signatory. This will fulfill the obligations on the part of India in terms of UNCRD. Further, the new law will not only enhance the Rights and Entitlements of Divyangjan but also provide effective mechanism for ensuring their empowerment and true inclusion into the Society in a satisfactory manner.
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PM chairs a High-Level Meeting to review Ayush Sector
February 27, 2025
QuotePM undertakes comprehensive review of the Ayush sector and emphasizes the need for strategic interventions to harness its full potential
QuotePM discusses increasing acceptance of Ayush worldwide and its potential to drive sustainable development
QuotePM reiterates government’s commitment to strengthen the Ayush sector through policy support, research, and innovation
QuotePM emphasises the need to promote holistic and integrated health and standard protocols on Yoga, Naturopathy and Pharmacy Sector

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi chaired a high-level meeting at 7 Lok Kalyan Marg to review the Ayush sector, underscoring its vital role in holistic wellbeing and healthcare, preserving traditional knowledge, and contributing to the nation’s wellness ecosystem.

Since the creation of the Ministry of Ayush in 2014, Prime Minister has envisioned a clear roadmap for its growth, recognizing its vast potential. In a comprehensive review of the sector’s progress, the Prime Minister emphasized the need for strategic interventions to harness its full potential. The review focused on streamlining initiatives, optimizing resources, and charting a visionary path to elevate Ayush’s global presence.

During the review, the Prime Minister emphasized the sector’s significant contributions, including its role in promoting preventive healthcare, boosting rural economies through medicinal plant cultivation, and enhancing India’s global standing as a leader in traditional medicine. He highlighted the sector’s resilience and growth, noting its increasing acceptance worldwide and its potential to drive sustainable development and employment generation.

Prime Minister reiterated that the government is committed to strengthening the Ayush sector through policy support, research, and innovation. He also emphasised the need to promote holistic and integrated health and standard protocols on Yoga, Naturopathy and Pharmacy Sector.

Prime Minister emphasized that transparency must remain the bedrock of all operations within the Government across sectors. He directed all stakeholders to uphold the highest standards of integrity, ensuring that their work is guided solely by the rule of law and for the public good.

The Ayush sector has rapidly evolved into a driving force in India's healthcare landscape, achieving significant milestones in education, research, public health, international collaboration, trade, digitalization, and global expansion. Through the efforts of the government, the sector has witnessed several key achievements, about which the Prime Minister was briefed during the meeting.

• Ayush sector demonstrated exponential economic growth, with the manufacturing market size surging from USD 2.85 billion in 2014 to USD 23 billion in 2023.

•India has established itself as a global leader in evidence-based traditional medicine, with the Ayush Research Portal now hosting over 43,000 studies.

• Research publications in the last 10 years exceed the publications of the previous 60 years.

• Ayush Visa to further boost medical tourism, attracting international patients seeking holistic healthcare solutions.

• The Ayush sector has witnessed significant breakthroughs through collaborations with premier institutions at national and international levels.

• The strengthening of infrastructure and a renewed focus on the integration of artificial intelligence under Ayush Grid.

• Digital technologies to be leveraged for promotion of Yoga.

• iGot platform to host more holistic Y-Break Yoga like content

• Establishing the WHO Global Traditional Medicine Centre in Jamnagar, Gujarat is a landmark achievement, reinforcing India's leadership in traditional medicine.

• Inclusion of traditional medicine in the World Health Organization’s International Classification of Diseases (ICD)-11.

• National Ayush Mission has been pivotal in expanding the sector’s infrastructure and accessibility.

• More than 24.52 Cr people participated in 2024, International Day of Yoga (IDY) which has now become a global phenomenon.

• 10th Year of International Day of Yoga (IDY) 2025 to be a significant milestone with more participation of people across the globe.

The meeting was attended by Union Health Minister Shri Jagat Prakash Nadda, Minister of State (IC), Ministry of Ayush and Minister of State, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Shri Prataprao Jadhav, Principal Secretary to PM Dr. P. K. Mishra, Principal Secretary-2 to PM Shri Shaktikanta Das, Advisor to PM Shri Amit Khare and senior officials.