Implementation of Disabilities Act-2016 takes time, people suffer

Irfan Tramboo
Srinagar, Sept 6: Delay in the implementation of Right of Persons with Disabilities Act-2016 (RPWDA) is taking a toll on the persons with disabilities as they have not been able to reap the benefits of the Act despite it being given nod 4 years back.
Though the -bill, after it was passed at the Centre, was put in the public domain in J&K in 2018 for comments and suggestions by the Government, the same remained only on the papers and was not implemented in its entirety.
After J&K became a Union Territory, draft rules of the ‘The Right of Persons with Disabilities Act-2016’ were again put in the public domain by the administration for suggestions. However, the stakeholders said that the Government was delaying the process of its implementation.
“Draft Rules for the Act are placed on the department website for comments/ views/suggestion. After the statutory period, the same would be notified for its implementation in the UT,” Shailendra Kumar, Principal Secretary to the Government told Excelsior.
According to the Government figures, there are more than 4 lakh persons with disabilities. However, the numbers are said to be more than that as the Government is quoting figures of only those who are drawing pension from it.
Abdul Rasheed who is heading the Jammu and Kashmir Handicapped Association told Excelsior that the number of persons with disabilities is around 7 lakh in J&K. He also said that post-August 5, there was no need for seeking suggestions and comments from the public on the bill that was already passed.
“The Centre should have been implemented as were other rules,” he said.
He said that while the disable people in the rest of the country are availing the benefits guaranteed to them as per the Act, in J&K, despite the passage of 4 years, they still do not get any benefits.
The J&K Reorganisation-2019 has kept the Jammu and Kashmir Rights of Persons with Disabilities draft Bill 2018 in the list of laws that are to be repealed in the UT of J&K and Ladakh.
He said the association fails to understand as to how long is the Government going to put in freeze and not implement the Central Law for the same in its entirety.
However, the officials said that the Draft Rules of the Act have been put in the public domain in July this year and that after the suggestions and comments are taken, the panel that has been tasked for it will proceed further.
“They are playing with the feelings and emotions of lakhs of persons with disabilities,” Abdul Rasheed said.
He accused the administration of giving the persons with disabilities just “lollipops” on the name of benefits. “Whenever there were discussions on this Act, we were given just lollipops,” he said.

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