News

Volume 6 Issue 10 - November 01, 2009

Government’s commitments to disabled people largely unfulfilled: World Bank

D.N.I.S. News Network, India: A World Bank report on the socio - economic situation of people with disabilities in India has stated that policy commitments of the government in a number of areas remain largely unfulfilled. It also reflects a relative neglect of people with disabilities through weak institutions and poor accountability mechanisms.

The report titled “People with Disabilities in India: From Commitments to Outcomes” states that people with disabilities remain outside the framework of policy and implementation. There is also evidence in key areas that disabled people are falling further behind the rest of the population. This increases the risk of further deepening an already significant poverty and marginalisation. The slow progress in expanding opportunities for disabled people in India results in substantial losses to people with disabilities themselves and to society and economy at large.

The report explores primarily where and how it makes most sense for public sector interventions to improve the standard of living of disabled population either directly or in partnership. The report concludes that it will take a multi-faceted approach for disabled people to realise their full individual potential and to maximise their social and economic contribution towards society.

A Braille version of the executive summary of the report has also been prepared. For more information, please write to Tanusree Talukdar at ttalukdar@worldbank.org.