No definite time envisaged for passing of Disabilities Bill- Government

NEW DELHI: The Government today said that no definite time frame can be envisaged for passing the Right to Persons with Disabilities Bill at this stage.

Replying to a question in Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Krishanpal Gurjar said that the ministry had received representations from individuals, associations, of persons with disabilities and disabilities, activist groups, on the bill, after it was introduced in Rajya Sabha on February 7, 2014.

The suggestions and objections raised in these representations relates to provisions with respect to legal capacity, non-discrimination, limited guardianship, reservation in establishment, besides constitution of national and state commissions, Gurjar said.

"Since the bill has been referred to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on social justice and empowerment for examination, copies of these representations have been forwarded to Lok Sabha Secretariat for consideration of the committee," he further said.

It may be recalled that the the bill covers a variety of issues relating to the disabled persons such as physical, mental and multiple disabilities.

The bill seeks to provide five per cent reservation for disabled persons in public sector jobs and reserved seats for them in higher educational institutions. It also provides for setting up of a national commission and a national fund for them.

It also seeks to bring sweeping changes in the earlier bill and broaden the ambit of disability from existing seven to nineteen categories.