DRAFT NATIONAL POLICY ON PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES (PwD)

About:

• The draft said the current national programme on prevention of disabilities run by the Health Ministry focused on “traditional causes”, but there were other causes of disability, such as malnourishment, medical negligence, socio-cultural factors and impairment caused by disasters.
• The Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPD) Act, 2016, also expanded the number of disabilities from seven to 21.
• The policy said the States and Union Territories should add a provision on compliance with the RPD Act when granting permission or recognition to educational institutions. A module on disability should be included in MBBS and other medical courses.
• To make vehicles more accessible, the policy said: “The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways will issue necessary guidelines for making modification in the personal vehicles being used by persons with disabilities as per requirement.”