Things are possible

The census of 2001 declares that in India an astounding number – 22 million- people are specially abled which is almost 20% of its population. To compound the problem further, the growth rate of this population is around 2.31%
Person with Disabilities act 1995 gives the definition of disability as –

• Disability is defined a person suffering from not less than forty per cent of any disability as certified by a medical authority. The disabilities identified are; blindness, low vision, cerebral palsy, leprosy, leprosy cured, hearing impairment, locomotor disability, mental illness and mental retardation as well as multiple disabilities.

Government has definitely recognized the importance of diverting its attention to address this issue. Among which the prominent ones are –

• 3% Reservation for the specially abled in jobs in all the 4 grades. This 3% is broken down into 1% for each –
• Blindness or Low Vision
• Hearing Impairment
• Locomotor Disabilities & Cerebral Palsy
• 10/15 years age relaxation
• Also 3% reservation in all the Major universities including IIMs
• According to Article 32: Every disabled person can move the Supreme Court of India to enforce his fundamental rights and the rights to move the Supreme Court

But are these provisions of any use if are not serving any purpose?

1. The basis of 3% reservation itself can be challenged as the National Sample Survey Organization has already declared this reservation to be inadequate.
2. Various schemes have been offered for the welfare of the disabled population, but lack of adequate information about them ensures that stakeholders -- disabled people, their families and organizations that work for them -- are either unaware or cannot avail of the provisions therein.
3. In the absence of infrastructure, whatever laws the government devise, all are virtually null and void. Just look around and try to check out, how many courts have got special toilets for the specially abled or ramps built for their convenience. In India apart from some Hospitals, these facilities are nonexistent (including major universities which provide 3% reservation). “Article 15 (2): It states that no citizen (including the disabled) shall be subjected to any disability, liability, restriction or condition on any of the above grounds in the matter of their access to shops, public restaurants, hotels and places of public entertainment or in the use of wells, tanks, bathing places (ghats), roads and places of public resort maintained wholly or partly out of government funds or dedicated to the use of the general public.” But by not providing adequate and proper infrastructure for the specially abled in most of the aforementioned places, the government is itself violating the article 15(2).
4. Not only does government hamper justice to these people, it completely ensures that even their voice is not heard of in this part of the world. There are no special provisions for polling made during elections – be it the availability of wheelchairs, toilets, ramps or be it the most important thing – “BALLOT PAPER”. If the majority of the disabled population in India is of the Blind, then why aren’t the polling papers printed in ‘Braille’.
5. It’s a well acknowledged fact that the most important way of empowering anyone is ‘education’. But will reservation alone suffice this purpose –
1. The National Policy for persons with Disability 2005 is completely silent on the education front.
   
2. It simply acknowledges its importance by saying that Special care will be taken to –
1. Make schools barrier free and accessible for all types of disability
   
2. Technical/supplementary/specialized system of teaching/learning will be made available
   
3. Facilities for technical education designed to inculcate and bolster skill development
   
4. Personal mobility through aids and appliances and inter-personnel will be enhanced.

But the policy doesn’t lay down any strict rules or regulations for the authorities.
Some More –
The government has provided concessions and passes to the specially abled for trains andbusses. But never ensures that the design of the same be suited for the purpose.


While intentions of the Government over here might be good, the service is not reaching where and to whom it should in the right way which makes it an X-factor.

Metro Railways is the live example that the government absolutely intends to deliver what it promises, what lacks is only the will to implement it in a right way.

Things are actually possible -