Prime Minister Narendra Modi has directed a group of ministers (GoM) to examine the crucial Right of Persons with Disabilities Bill 2014. http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/taking-no-chances-group-of-ministers-to-examine-disabilites-bill/articleshow/50710756.cms?from=mdr
Narendra Modi has directed a group of ministers (GoM) to examine the crucial Right of Persons with Disabilities Bill 2014, which makes accessibility a mandatory requirement under the law. The GoM is headed by home minister minister Rajnath Singh and comprises tribal affairs minister Jual Oram, women and child development minister Maneka Gandhi and social justice and empowerment minister Thaawar Chand Gehlot. GoM would examine the Bill clause-by-clause before it is brought before the Cabinet for an approval. The first meeting of Singh-led GoM would take place on Monday. Sources said the exercise may require more than one meeting of the group. The suggestions of GoM would be tabled before the Cabinet separately. The department of empowerment of persons with disabilities, under the social justice and empowerment ministry, has prepared a special brief for the GoM briefing them about the Bill, which is also required to fulfil India's international commitment. The Bill is crucial as the BJP government wants to pass it in the forthcoming Budget session. It replaces the Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act 1995, which identifies seven disabilities. The proposed law has increased this number to cover about 20 conditions. It also addresses the issue of enhanced penalty for outraging the modesty of a woman with disability and termination of pregnancy after the consent of a guardian and medical practitioners. The Bill was examined by the parliamentary standing committee in May 2015. According to sources, the ministry has not accepted all the suggestions of the parliamentary committee. The directive for a GoM to examine the legislation comes as the government wants to ensure passing of the Bill in Parliament. A senior ministry official said, "The Opposition has been belligerent in Parliament so the government wants to be sure there is no opportunity to stall these Bills. This is why a GoM will examine it clause-by-clause." Even though the BJP government at the Centre has claimed to have scrapped its predecessor Congress-led UPA's prctice of constituting GoMs and empowered GoMs, the Prime Minister is depending on senior ministers and subject specialists to give him politically potent solutions. ET View Lend a Hand by Enacting the Bill The NDA government abolished EGoMs and GoMs stating that issues pending before these panels will be processed by ministries to speed up decision-making and bring in accountability. This made eminent sense. A parliamentary panel has scrutinised the Bill on the rights of disabled persons. The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment should take cognisance of all the stakeholders concerns, and the government should swiftly adopt the new law that guarantees the rights of disabled people. State governments should also come on board. -- Avinash Shahi Doctoral student at Centre for Law and Governance JNU Register at the dedicated AccessIndia list for discussing accessibility of mobile phones / Tabs on: http://mail.accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/mobile.accessindia_accessindia.org.in Search for old postings at: http://www.mail-archive.com/accessindia@accessindia.org.in/ To unsubscribe send a message to accessindia-requ...@accessindia.org.in with the subject unsubscribe. To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, please visit the list home page at http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.in Disclaimer: 1. Contents of the mails, factual, or otherwise, reflect the thinking of the person sending the mail and AI in no way relates itself to its veracity; 2. AI cannot be held liable for any commission/omission based on the mails sent through this mailing list..
