Volume 4 Issue 5

Feature

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  There is something for everyone in the Railway Budget, says Lalu! But what about disabled people?
  

  The disability sector came within the smelling distance of India’s first disabled friendly Railway Budget. But it was betrayed once gain, despite a personal promise by the Railway Minister. Parvinder Singh takes a look at the high drama that took place in Delhi in the past two weeks.

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  Inclusive education needs funds
  

  “We have demonstrated the practicability of inclusive education by setting up inclusive aanganwadis in slums of Mumbai, leading to absorption of over 3,000 children and families into mainstream education,” says Mithu Alur, Chairperson of National Resource Centre for Inclusion, in an editorial piece in Times of India dated 26 February 2006.

Interview

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  There is no ambiguity that disabled people have be to be provided barrier-free environment: Shivani
  

  Issuing a certificate to a scheme or a project of being accessible is an authority that only the Government must have. The role of an activist is merely to bring such cases into the notice of the government, says Shivani Gupta, Programme Manager with Corporate Social Responsibility Programme of Jindal Saw Ltd, in conversation with Aqeel Qureshi.

News

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  Union Budget fails to deliver an incentives policy to promote employment for disabled people
  

  Disability sector’s recommendations for the Union Budget 2006-2007 were conveniently brushed aside as Finance Minister P. Chidambaram made no mention of any plan aimed at addressing the needs of disabled people in country’s macro planning and resource allocation during his budget speech.

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  Hopes of millions of disabled people dashed! Lalu’s Orwellian budget fails to address demands
  

  When Minister for Railways Lalu Prasad Yadav took stage in Lok Sabha on the morning of 24 February; a silent majority of 70 million disabled people was brimming with hope of welcoming Independent India’s first disabled-friendly Rail Budget. But in a matter of just over two hours their hopes were dashed.

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  M.S.J.E. asks States to send recommendations for amendment to Disability Act
  

  The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (M.S.J.E.) has asked the States to send their suggestions for amendment to the Disability Act 1995 and given eight weeks time for the same.

• Delhi High Court pulls up Indian Railways for not implementing Disability Act
  

  In a huge breakthrough that may change the face of Indian Railways, the Delhi High Court has pulled up the world’s largest passenger carrier for not implementing the Disability Act despite a decade having gone by since the statute mandated barrier-free travel and special services.

• Delhi High Court issues notices to private airlines seeking details on disability access
  

  In a move to end anarchy on the part of private airline operators and complacency by Airport Authority of India (A.A.I. ) in not seriously addressing the issue of providing access for disabled passengers, the Delhi High Court has issued notices to six private airlines and A.A.I.

• Delhi High Court issues notice to U.G.C. on lack of facilities for disabled students
  

  University Grants Commission (U.G.C.) has been served a notice by the Delhi High Court, seeking facilities being provided to disabled students in various universities of the capital. 

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  Delhi High Court orders Centre & D.D.A. to notify scheme for land & plots at concessional rates
  

  The Delhi High Court has ordered the Union Government and the Delhi Development Authority (D.D.A.) to notify a scheme for allotment of land and plots on concessional rates for persons with disabilities.

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  Disability sector in Manipur demands implementation of Disability Act
  

  The nascent disability sector in Manipur is growing restive over the non-implementation of the provisions of the Disability Act 1995. In its latest move, it has demanded withholding results of State Public Service Examinations on account of discrimination against a vision-impaired aspirant who was not allowed to appear in the exam.

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  Learn from the past and move ahead to implement the Disability Act more effectively: Justice Verma
  

  Though overall awareness of the rights of disabled people, as mandated by the Disability Act a decade ago, has increased yet a prodigious task lies ahead to ensure that disabled people are allowed equal participation in the task of nation building in all walks of life and across the country.

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  North Zone Partners commit to strengthen National Disability Network
  

  National Disability Network (N.D.N.) North Zone Partners’ Meet held recently in Lucknow saw the Partner’s reiterating the important role being played by the national-grouping in information dissemination and re-affirmed their commitment for keeping the Network alive.