Government Implementation of the Standard Rules
As Seen By Member Organizations of
World Blind Union - WBU

India

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© Dimitris Michailakis 1997

All India Confederation of the Blind, India
No reply was received from the Government of India.
Compare with the following Country Report(s): DPI, ILSMH

General policy

The officially recognized disability policy is expressed in law.

Legislation

The rights of persons with disabilities are protected by special legislation. The judicial mechanisms adopted to protect the rights of persons with disabilities is recourse procedure by a special agency, dealing with disability issues. A separate national legislation on mental health has been adopted. A mentally ill person is not entitled to hold property and has access to courts through a guardian.
The following benefits are guaranteed by law to persons with disabilities: training, rehabilitation and counselling, employment and participation in decisions affecting themselves.
New legislation has been enacted, since the adoption of the Rules. (Protection of the rights and Full Participation Act - 1 of 1996.)

Accessibility

Special transport arrangements include: Indian Railways allow special concessions fares for disabled people. There is no charge for a wheel chair. The Indian Airlines charge 50% of the fare for blind persons and a wheel chair can be carried free of charge. The most difficult obstacles, when planning to build accessible environments, are attitudinal factors and economic/budgetary factors. There is a disability awareness component incorporated in the training of planners, architects and construction engineers. There are government measures to encourage media to make their services accessible for persons with disabilities. The following measures are provided to facilitate information and communication between persons with disabilities and others: literature in Braille/tape, news magazines on tape/Braille and sign language interpretation, being available for any purpose.

Organizations of persons with disabilities

There is no national umbrella organization. There are legal provisions mandating the representatives of persons with disabilities to participate in policy-making and to work with governmental institutions. Disability organizations are sometimes consulted, when laws and regulations with a disability aspect are being prepared. The government gives financial support to existing or new organizations of persons with disabilities. Persons with disabilities participate to a very limited extent in government, legislatures, judiciary, political parties and in NGOs. The role of disabled persons organizations is to advocate rights and improved services, mobilize persons with disabilities, identify needs and priorities, participate in the planning, implementation and evaluation of services and measures concerning the lives of persons with disabilities, contribute to public awareness, provide services and promote/organize income generating activities.

Co-ordination of work

The national co-ordinating committee is reporting to the Prime Minister's office. It includes representatives of many Ministries, of organizations of persons with disabilities, of other NGOs and from the private sector. The government expects the co-ordinating committee to participate in policy development and to perform other tasks.

The Standard Rules has led to a rethinking of the approach to disability policy.

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