New Delhi, Feb 29 (PTI) Announcement of a policy on the lines of Ayushman Bharat for differently abled persons and 5 per cent budgetary allocation for them are among the demands raised by disability rights groups in a 10-point manifesto.
The activists have called on political parties to address the issues of persons with disabilities (PWD) in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.
Emphasising the need for equal treatment, disability rights advocates urged the parties to seriously consider PWDs as a decisive voting bloc.
The disability rights groups, led by National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People (NCPEDP) in collaboration with the National Disability Network (NDN), launched the manifesto on Thursday.
Highlighting the manifesto’s importance, Arman Ali, Executive Director of NCPEDP, said People with Disabilities not only comprise a sizeable number of voters but form a huge consumer base for goods and services.
“As the Lok Sabha Elections 2024 draw near, citizens with Disabilities, which form 7 per cent of the population of India and there are more than one crore registered voters, as per the Election Commission, it is essential that the voices of persons with disabilities are heard in the discussions around the 2024 General Elections,” Ali said.
“This is not only because they represent sizeable votes but, more importantly, because they are a large consumer of goods and services and thus contributors to socio-economic development and GDP,” he added.
Some of the demands included in the 10-point manifesto are allocation of 5 per cent of the total budget for differently abled persons and announcement of a policy on the lines of Ayushman Bharat for people in this category.
The manifesto also proposes that all public and private spaces, products or services should be accessible for disabled people by 2026 and demands an increase in their monthly pension to Rs 5000 under the National Social Assistance Programme.
The rights activists also suggested amending Article 15 of the Constitution to include the word “disability” along with 5 per cent reservation in governance.
The manifesto also suggests filling up of backlog vacancies by 2027. It also proposes formation of a dedicated Climate Change Mission for vulnerable communities and to ensure real-time data collection for disabled in disaster management.
“Establish a sub-scheme for digital literacy and smartphone access for girls and women with disabilities. Announce policies that promote equal participation and protect women and girls with disabilities against violence and abuse,” the manifesto read.
It also proposes that state-of-the-art sports infrastructure based on the principles of universal design for para-athletes should be established.
“Implement data-driven strategy for enhanced enrolment and completion of mainstream education for disabled children by 2029,” it read. PTI SLB RPA RPA
