Union minister Thaawarchand Gehlot today urged all the states to ensure the effective implementation of provisions of a new law on disability for creating a barrier-free environment for the differently-abled persons, in line with the objective of the Accessible India campaign.
In a letter to all the chief ministers, the Union social justice and empowerment minister urged them for concerted efforts to achieve the desired targets of the campaign, which was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on December, 2015.
Elaborating on the aspects of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act, Gehlot said it had expanded the horizon as regards the rights of the differently-abled persons and vested increased responsibilities on the government authorities to ensure that these people enjoyed their rights equally with others.
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"I shall be grateful if you arrange to issue instructions to all the relevant departments to ensure the effective implementation of the provisions of the RPwD Act, 2016 and take steps for creating a barrier-free environment for persons with disabilities on a fast-track basis, in line with the targets of the Accessible India campaign.
"The action taken in this regard may also be intimated to us," Gehlot wrote in the letter.
He added that there was a specific thrust in the Act on creating a barrier-free environment for the differently-abled persons in terms of modes of transportation, information and communication technology systems and other facilities.
The Act also provided for a five-per cent reservation in government and government-aided higher educational institutes and a four-per cent reservation in government establishments for persons with "benchmark" disabilities, the minister said.
It also mandated the states to frame schemes and programmes, within a stipulated time, to promote inclusive education, healthcare, social security, rehabilitation, recreation and sorting activities for such persons, Gehlot added.
The details of the Act and Rules are available on www.disabilityaffairs.gov.in.
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