Disability and Govt. Policy

Disability and Govt. Policy

India is a Country which posses all types of disabilities like Visual, Hearing, Speech, Locomotors and Mental Disabilities.

The constitution of India, specially the articles 17,21,21A,14 ensure equality, freedom, justice and dignity of all individuals and implicitly mandate an inclusive society for all including the persons with disabilities.

Some international conventions, of India is signatory:

• Declaration on the Full Participation and Equality of People with Disabilities in the Asia Pacific Region
• Biwako Millennium Framework: For action towards an inclusive, barrier free and rights based society.
• UN Convention on Protection and Promotion of the Rights and Dignity of Persons with Disabilities.

Some National Mechanisms:

National Policy for Persons with Disabilities 2005:

• It focuses on prevention of desabilities and physical and economic rehabilitation of persons with disabilities 

Persons with Disabilities(Equal opportunities, Protection of rights and Full Participation) Act, 1995

• Focuses on Education, Employment, Vocational Training , Creation of Barrier free environment, Rehabilitation Services, Institutional Services and Supportive Social Security Measures like unemployment allowance and grievance redressal machinery.

National Trust for Welfare of Persons with Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Mental Retardation and Multiple Disabilities Act, 1999

• India is the only country in the world to have legislation for Autism
• This act focuses on extending support to registered organisations providing need based services
• Also focuses on to evolve procedures for appointment of legal guardians for persons with disabilities.

Rehabilitation council of India:

Statutory body setup under the Rehabilitation Council of India Act, 1992. Its working areas are

• Standardization and Regulation of Training Courses for profession trainers
• Recoginsation of institutions and universities running training courses in area of rehabilitation of disabled within and outside the country
• Promotion of research in rehabilitation and special education
• Maintenance of Central Rehabilitation Register for Professionals possessing the recognised rehabilitation qualification
• Encouragement of continuing rehabilitation education programmes

Other National Mechanisms:

• Office of Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities
• National Handicapped Finance and Development Corporation
• Schemes for Assistance to Disabled Persons for Purchase/Fitting of Aids and Appliances

Some Institutes in Field of Rehabilitation and Special Education

• National Institute for Visually Handicapped, Dehradun
• National Institute for Orthographically Handicapped, Kolkata   
• Ali Yavur Jung National Institute for Hearing Handicapped, Mumbai
• National Institute for Mentally Handicapped, Secunderabad
• National Institute for Rehabilitation Training and Research, Cuttack
• Institute for Physically Handicapped, New Delhi
• National Institute for Empowerment of Persons with Multiple Disabilities, Chennai
• Artificial Limb Manufacturing Corporation of India, Kanpur

Judicial Arrangements in India

Judicial Arrangements in India

National Judicial Academy:

• Registered in 1993 under Societies Registration Act 1860
• Provides training to Judicial Officers
• Academy is located at Bhopal with registered office at Delhi

Arrangement for free legal aid to Poor:

1)National Legal Service Authority (NALSA)

• Constituted under Legal Service Authorities Act 1987
• Provides Free Legal Aid to eligible person
• Organises Lok Adalats for amicable settlement of disputes
• Eligible Person: Women, Children, SC,ST, Industrial Workmen, Victims of disaster and violence, Disabled Person, Person in Custody, Victims of Trafficking

2)Lok Adalats:

• Statutory Status under Section 19 of Legal Service Authorities Act 1987
• Handles only Civil Cases
• Its decisions are final and binding and person can not appeal against the decision of Lok Adalat
• Permanent Lok Adalats are available specially for the cases related to Public Utility Services

Bar Council of India:

• Under  Advocates Act 1961

Law commission of India:

• It is a non statutory body constituted time to time in every 3 years
• Current Chairman is  D.K. Jain

Scheduled Caste and Govt. Schemes

Scheduled Caste and Govt. Schemes

• Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment is the nodal authority 
• Present population of scheduled caste in the country is 16.2%

National Scheduled Castes Finance and Development Corporation(NSCFDC)

• Under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. 
• Provides the credit facilities to person of SC living below double the poverty lines limits.
• Provides 40000 per year for rural and 55000 per year for urban for income generation activitia

National Commission for Scheduled Castes

• It is a constitutional body under article 338
• Monitors the safeguard and review issue concerning welfare
• It has the power of Civil Court

Protection of Civil Rights Act 1955

• This act is made under the article 17 of constitution and provides punishment for practice of untouchability

Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes(Prevention of Atrocities) Act 1989

• Prevents the commission of offence by a person other than SC&ST against SC&ST
• Acts extends to whole of India except J&K

Educational Development

• Post Matric Scholarship
• Pre- Matric Scholarship for Children engaged in unclean Occupation
• Under Rajiv Gandhi National Fellowship Scheme, which was launched under 11th Five Year Plan, Scholarship is Provided for Higher Educations like Mphil, Phd and research degree. This scheme is implemented by UGC
• Reservation
• Free Coaching for competitive exams
• Babu Jagjivan Ram Chhatrawas Yojana

National Overseas Scholarship Scheme

• Assistance in Institution fee, Monthly Maintenance allowance, Incidental journey premium, annual Contingency allowance
• For only one child of same parents. 
• For under 35 years of age
• Only for master degree and Phd in Engineering, Technology and Science

Special Central Assistance to Scheduled Caste sub Plan:

• Central Govt gives the assistance to Sub plan for SC by State govt.
• For Economic Development of SC BPL people
• 50% of assistance for subsidy (10000per beneficiary)
• 10% for infrastructure development of village having 50% SC population
• 15% of assistance for SC Women

Scheduled Caste Development Corporation:

• Identifying Eligible SC Family
• Motivating them to incorporate economic development scheme
• Sponsoring Scheme to financial institutions for credit support
• Providing financial support in form of Marginal money at low interest rate
• Subsidy to reduce repayment liabilities 
• Providing necessary tie ups with Poverty alleviation programs

Other Schemes:

• National Scheduled caste finance and Development Corporation
• Self Employment Scheme of Rehabilitation of Manual Scavenging
• Voluntary Organisations 
• National Safai Karmachari Finance and Development Corporation
• Dr. Ambedkar Foundation  

Something About Andaman and Nicobar

Something About Andaman and Nicobar

• Andaman and Nicobar islands provide highest number of Wildlife Sanctuaries and National parks in India
• It has Bay of Bengal on Western Side and Andaman Sea on eastern Side
• In northern Andaman, there is Coco Island which belongs to Myanmar and is an area of dispute between India and Myanmar
• Narcondam Island in western part of North Andaman is an Extinct Volcano
• Andaman and Nicobar Islands are the extension of Eastern Himalayas (Purvanchal), That is why they are continental island. In western Himalayas they are part of specially Arkan Yoma and Peg Yoma ranges in Myanmar.
• Barren Island in Middle Andaman is the only active Volcano in India
• Havelock Island in Middle Andaman is important for Heavy Biodiversity and many endemic species
• Sentinel is the tribe of Southern Andaman, Jarawa is the tribe of Northern Andaman and was in controversy in recent times
• Duncan Passage is between Southern Andaman and Little Andaman
• Mount Harriet in Duncan Passage is a National Park
• Saddle Peak is the Highest peak of Andaman and Nicobar Islands
• Ten Degree Channel is between Little Andaman and Car Nicobar.
• Nancowry Island in Nicobar Island group was worst affected by Tsunami
• Katchall Island in Nicobar is having huge deposits of Petroleum
• Andaman and Nicobar Islands have all types of Coral Reefs
• Indira Point in Great Nicobar is the Southern most part of India