HARNESSING ABILITIES
OF THE DISABLED
India is a large
country with a population of over one billion spread over 3.28
m. sq. km in a federal structure of 28 States and 7 Union Territories
with 32 languages and numerous dialects. We are a multi-cultural,
multi-racial and multi-religion society which, by definition,
is more indicative of integration than of segregation. Predictably,
there is enormous diversity in urban, semi-urban and rural situations
which contribute to a wide spectrum of region and culture-specific
differences. However, the full spectrum of disability is prevalent
all over the country and it is estimated that 50 million persons
suffer from some disability or the other.
There has been
a range of international initiatives that have helped shape the
approach to addressing persons with disabilities. The International
Year of Disabled Persons (1981) was followed by the Decade of
Disabled Persons (1982-1993). In 1982, the United Nations General
Assembly adopted the World Programme of Action concerning the
disabled persons. It outlines principles for the prevention of
causes of disability as well as measures for the rehabilitation
of people with disabilities and to ensure equal opportunities
to them. There was an emphasis on involving government and voluntary
organizations in accomplishing the goals of the UN Decade instead
of relying on additional resources of the UN system. The years
1993-2002 were declared as the Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled
Persons.
During the last
two decades, there has been a shift in emphasis in polices towards
disabled persons from a welfare and charity approach to that of
equalisation of rights and opportunities. The basic policy framework
in the area of disability is enshrined in a legislation called
the Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection
of rights and Full Participation) Act, 1995, Rehabilitation Council
of India Act, 1992 and the National Trust for the Welfare of Persons
with Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Mental Retardation and Multiple Disabilities
Act, 1999.
In the traditional
agrarian joint family system of India, persons with disabilities
were spontaneously included. However, urbanization and industrialization,
with the resultant modernization of families, have posed new challenges.
A multi-pronged strategy which includes, inter alia, inter and
intra-ministerial coordination at the Central, State and district
levels, has resulted in qualitative and quantitative changes in
the lives of persons with disabilities. Their participation in
decisions which directly affect their lives has increased substantially.
With the help of the media, strategic showcasing of abilities
of persons with disabilities is bringing about positive attitudinal
changes in the general public. This and other proactive measures
are leading to the gradual breaking down of physical, institutional
and informational barriers.
The Government of
India is playing a direct implementing role in some cases while
in others it is acting as a catalyst and facilitator. The underlying
effort throughout is to break the intergenerational cycle of poverty,
disability, segregation, powerlessness and charity that leads
to the denial and prevention of participation, respect and opportunities
for persons with disabilities and their families.
Studies clearly
indicate that an approach which focuses on prevention of the causes
of disability is socio-economically superior to rehabilitation.
Besides, 50 per cent of disability is preventable. The Ministry
of Social Justice and Empowerment is supporting awareness generation
programmes in many districts of the country through national institutes,
composite regional centres and other associated institutions to
address the target audience of students, teachers, parents and
general public on issues ranging from prevention of the causes
of disability, early identification and rehabilitation.
Presently the
Ministry is supporting four national institutes dedicated to visual
impairment, hearing impairment and multiple handicaps. Five composite
regional centres have been set up at Sunder Nagar (HP), Srinagar
(J&K), Bhopal, Guwahati and Lucknow. In addition to improved
availability of rehabilitation services for persons with spinal
injuries, four regional centres have been set up at Jabalpur,
Bareilly, Cuttack and Ropar in Punjab. The outreach is also being
improved through the small district unit of District Disability
Rehabilitation Centres. Of them 82 are functional at present.
The earlier programme of the District Rehabilitation Centres continues
at 11 locations. Through these institutions, lakhs of people have
been provided counselling and rehabilitation services. The flagship
programmes of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment that
are implemented through voluntary organizations, such as aids
and appliances for disabled persons (ADIP Scheme) and Voluntary
Action for Persons with Disabilities continue to get support.
There has been a substantial enhancement of allocations under
both the programmes last year. Over 800 voluntary organizations
were assisted with grants exceeding Rs. 100 crore. At the camps
running under ADIP programme, attempts are made to ensure a package
of services like assessment, fitment of appropriate aids, counselling
and issue of disability certificates. There has also been a five-fold
increase in expenditure by the Ministry over the last five years
for development programmes directly related to the disability
sector.
The National
Trust for the Welfare of Persons with Autism, Cerebral Palsy,
Mental Retardation and Multiple Disabilities, which came into
being in 2000 with the passing of the National Trust Act, 1999,
has made great progress. As many as 350 local level committees
have been registered in the districts and the Trust is also supporting
several programmes for day care and residential centres. It has
also trained personnel who provide care. The Government on its
part has made a contribution of Rs. 99 crore to the corpus of
the National Trust.
A question on
disability was included in Census India 2001 and the data is being
compiled. Besides, the National Samples Survey Organisation (NSSO)
has collected data on disability during its 58th round in July-December,
2002. To facilitate accurate data collection, disability was defined,
simplified and widely circulated. Enumerators were trained and
it can be expected that the information that emerges through the
NSSO Survey will be very useful for future planning in the disability
sector.(PIB Features)
