News

Volume 8 Issue 2 - January 15, 2011

With blinkers on, a diminished Committee on new disability law goes on

D.N.I.S. News Network, India: If nothing else, the Committee drafting the new disability law should be appreciated for their resilience! It is work as usual for them. Despite the resignations of 4 Members, three of whom are people with disabilities, the Committee went ahead with its meeting on January 2 and then on 13 and 14. Point to consider: the meeting on January 2 had barely 10 people in attendance out of the total 36 Members!

The Committee is now discussing the content of the chapters of the Working Draft prepared by the Legal Consultant. A timeframe was also decided. Accordingly, by February 2, the Committee will finish discussing the chapters. In an E-mail to the sector, the Chairperson of the Committee, Dr. Sudha Kaul stated that National and State level Consultations will be held in February through the State Disability Commissioners and State Nodal Agency Centres (S.N.A.C.s) of the National Trust. The working plan of the Consultations will be made by Dr. Bhushan Punani and Poonam Natarajan.

Meanwhile, the Committee did not discuss the reasons behind the 4 resignations, saying that it is for the Ministry to consider them.

Meanwhile, Mukul Wasnik, Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment, had meetings with a few members who had resigned. He discussed their grievances at length and asked them to reconsider their decision. In these meetings he also stated that he and the Ministry are yet to take a decision on going in for one comprehensive law or multiple laws. He said these were decisions to be taken after the Committee finishes its work.

D.N.I.S. has also learnt that the Minister is meeting several Delhi based disabled people and experts to learn about their views regarding the debate on one comprehensive law vis-à-vis multiple laws.

The next meeting of the Committee will be on January 31, February 1 and 2.

Click here to read Minutes of the Committee’s meeting on January 2.(Word - 43 KB)