J&K govt approves bill for welfare of persons with disabilities

The Jammu and Kashmir government has approved the enactment of a bill aimed to enhance the rights and entitlement of persons with disabilities, an official said Friday.

The State Administrative Council (SAC) which met here under the chairmanship of Governor Shri Satya Pal Malik approved the enactment of the Jammu and Kashmir Rights of Persons with Disabilities Bill, 2018, he said.

The Jammu and Kashmir Persons with Disabilities (equal opportunities, protection of rights and full participation) Act, 1998 was modelled on the pattern of persons with disabilities (equal opportunities, protection of rights and full participation) Act, 1995 (Central Act), spokesman said.

Parliament enacted the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 repealing the1995 act.

The bill will address various matters related to the disabled with enhanced effectiveness, he said, adding that it will give leverage to various centrally sponsored schemes and programmes so as to secure and protect the interest of the beneficiaries.

Besides, it will benefit them with a slew of interventions encompassing health, rehabilitation and education.

Further, the bill envisages increase in the types of disabilities from existing 7 to 21 categories as 14 new types of disabilities have been incorporated with special provisions for high support needs and benchmark disabilities.

The reservation for the persons with disabilities has been enhanced from 3 per cent to 4 per cent.

There is provision of guardianship; grievance redressal mechanism besides a provision for insurance cover for employees with disabilities.

The proposes admission of disabled people in educational institutions without discrimination, their vocational training and self-employment and non-discrimination in employment.

It provides for free education of children with benchmark disabilities and identification of posts in the establishments which can be held by respective category of persons with benchmark disabilities and reservation of 4 per cent of total number of vacancies in the cadre strength in each group of posts meant to be filled with persons with benchmark disabilities.

The bill envisages incentives to employers in private sector if at least 5 per cent of their workforce composes of persons with benchmark disabilities.

Furthermore, it provides for social audit of all general schemes and programmes involving the disabled as well as speedy trial for offences under the act by establishment of special courts.