New act to safeguard interests of the disabled

NEW DELHI: Government is working to introduce a new act to safeguard the interest of people with disability which will be in line with the recommendations of the UN Convention.

Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment D Napoleon said today the Ministry is preparing a nation-wide report on the progress in implementation of various recommendations of United Nations Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities ( UNCRPD).

"The Ministry is working to replace the existing Person with Disability Act, 1995 with a legislation for empowerment of persons with disabilities which will be in harmony with UNCRPD," he said in written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha.

India is a party to the UNCRPD which came into effect in 2008.

Napoleon said the obligations and provisions of the UNCRPD were conveyed to all the state governments, concerned central ministries and departments for taking appropriate action.

"The Ministry has initiated process of preparing the First Country Report on India as per UNCRPD to give effect to its obligations under the Convention and on progress made in that regard in consultation with the state governments," he said.

Replying a question on children with visual disability, he said, "As per Census 2001, the estimated number of children with disability 'in seeing' in the age group of five to 19 is 27,74,145. Out of that 15,89,954 children are attending education institutions."

On converting books into Braille, Napoleon said, "It is feasible to convert books into Braille provided there is a capacity for printing books in adequate numbers."