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NGO PERSPECTIVES for Full Participation and Equality

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India

Country Report on India

October 4, 2002

C. Antony Samy, Managing Director, WORTH Trust

Pre-independence Period:

Efforts at rehabilitation of persons with disabilities are not new to India. Schools and crafts training centres for children and adults who were blind or deaf had been in existence in India long before India's independence.

Post-independence Period:

When India got independence in 1947, and the development plans were prepared, rehabilitation was given due care. Concerned with increasing population and the need for development of education, medical facilities, communication networks and infrastructure for industries and agriculture, the allocation for rehabilitation was not high. However, the existing institutions were strengthened and supported and new ones established through Central and State Governments.

The institutions were mostly established and managed by NGOs, both from abroad and India. The Government gave very generous support in maintaining them. This support continued in a greater way soon after independence. Government of India established four National Centres to take care of the disabled people in a very specialised way.

  1. National Institute for the Visually Handicapped, Dehra Dun.

  2. National Institute for the Orthopaedically Handicapped, Calcutta.

  3. National Institute for the Hearing Handicapped, Mumbai

  4. National Institute for the Mentally Retarded, Secunderabad.

In addition, the Government of India established a production centre to manufacture world class orthotics and prosthesis, which were distributed through a network of centres established all over the country.

Decade of Disabled Persons:

India, through Government and NGO representation, was an active participant in the UNESCAP meetings and deliberations regarding the Decade of Disabled Persons. Both Government of India and individuals representing NGOs participated in these deliberations. It was resolved to implement new ideas and directives. While great efforts were made in some areas, there were others, which lagged.

Government made special efforts in the area of education of children with disabilities, production of assistive devices, production and supply of orthotics, providing scholarships for education, encouraged integration of children with disabilities into mainstream schools and a number of other activities.

Schemes that the Government prepared and tried to implement met with various levels of success. While in some areas vast changes have been made, there are others, which lacked enthusiasm in implementation. The main reason for this deficiency is, while schemes were well thought out, the people at the state / district / local levels, who were to implement them were lukewarm. It is mainly because sensitisation of the important government officials on the abilities and limitations of the persons with disabilities has not occurred to the needed level.

There are two important landmarks in the development of services for disabled people. While India made the census every ten years on the disability area, they have only been sample surveys on very limited area, which gave no idea of the magnitude of the problem in the whole country. Variations in development, communication etc.. made it impossible to extrapolate the survey done in one area to the whole country.

In February 2001, for the first time, India included details of disabilities in the survey taken and the field results are still not available to the public. Atleast the Government has the basic information, based on which it can plan development activities.

The second important milestone is passing of "THE PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES (EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES, PROTECTION OF RIGHTS AND FULL PARTICIPATION) ACT, 1995. This Act was looked by the persons with disabilities and organisations working for disabled as a major achievement. However, soon it was found that this needed to be modified and the Government of India was willing to modify it to suit to the needs. Although it was a milestone, the efforts at rehabilitation of persons with disabilities, there was a long way to go, mainly because the implementation of the provisions has never been fully committed. Even the Government on their part delayed the implementation and even now it is not being implemented.

There are two other developments in India. The DPI India, an association of persons with disabilities activated themselves. DRG (Disability Rights Group) assisted many persons with disabilities. They are very vocal in advocacy and forced the Government to make some decisions. Where the Government department dragged their feet, they went to Supreme Court, which directed the Government to implement some of the decisions.

Major decisions, which were brought forth by their advocacy is opening different levels of services for persons with disabilities, making public places etc.. somewhat accessible. The Supreme Court has always acted promptly in redressing the grievances of persons with disabilities. Inspite of the Disability Act, even the new Government buildings are now built without accessibility and no action is taken by the Government.

For rehabilitation in different areas are to be successful, it must have the active collaboration between the Government and NOGs working for disabled persons. Any request on behalf of disabled persons is seen by the bureaucracy as a demand, which have to be suppressed. The day the Government looks at NGOs as their extension for providing services for disabled persons, the persons with disabilities in India will have a bright future.

India has compulsory and free education upto elementary level as provided by our Constitution. Free education at elementary level and avoidance of child labour have been stressed and promulgated by Government of India many times. The problems have not been sorted out inspite of the efforts by the Indian Government, ILO and NGOs. While in theory children with disabilities are eligible for education in open schools and for scholarships, in effect, very low percentage of children with disabilities are integrated and among them only a few percentage get scholarships.

In the employment area, Government of India has recommended reservation of 3% for disabled persons. But because of the high levels of unemployment in the country, this is only recommended and cannot be implemented in practice. Even in Government departments this is not being implemented for want of "suitable vacancies". The Government has made special efforts in opening special employment exchanges for persons with disabilities, which provide some kind of basic short-term training, which in reality is only assessment and their achievement in placement is very tardy.

The Government took up the distribution of aids and appliances at a national level. We can commonly see wheelchairs and tricycles, even in rural roads, most of which have been given free by the Government. This made a sea change in the lives of persons with disabilities for transportation and this enabled them to get education, go for work and in general, improve their social contacts and quality of life.

It is noticed that while India has done quite well in legislation and certain other areas, it is yet to make headway in many others. This is mainly because of the high population and the need for the Government, Central and the States to concentrate on other issues, which they consider as priority,

It is not only children and adults with disabilities who suffer, it is also others. A good portion of the population is living below the poverty line. Only when the national situation improves the life of persons with disabilities will also improve. There is a lot more the Government can do and our Government should concentrate on these areas. To start with, strict enforcement of the Disability Act, which covers many vital areas including accessibility, education, vocational training and employment.

Conclusion:

We have a technologically highly developed manpower skilled in computers, space programme and proven ability to place satellites in space. But this is far beyond the reach of most persons with disabilities.

The vast majority of people involved in basic agriculture are mostly traditional low productivity levels. But even in this, persons with disabilities are not actively involved.

While development seems slow and limited, looking back there are vast improvements in the lives of a good number of persons with disabilities. But the need is not met. In the new millenium persons with disabilities look forward to a brighter future with a good co-operation between NGOs and the Government.

Basic Information of our country concerning PWDs.

  1. The following are the national organisations for persons with disabilities in our country:

    1. Ali Yavar Jung, National Institute for the Hearing Handicapped, K.C. Marg, Bandra Reclamation, Bandra (W), Mumbai - 400 050. India. Ph: 00 91 22 640 0215 / 640 0228 / 640 0176 Fax : 00 91 22 642 2638 Email:director@giasbm01.vsnl.net.in Contact Person: Mr. Arun Banik - Reader - HOD / MDD

    2. National Institute for the Visually Handicapped, 116, Rajpur Road, Dehra Dun - 248 001. Uttar Pradesh, India. Ph: 00 91 135 744491, 748147, 744578, 744979 Fax: 00 91 135 748147 Email: nivh@vsnl.com Contact Person : Dr. S.R. Shukla, Director.

    3. National Institute for the Mentally Handicapped, Manovikas Nagar PO Secunderabad - 500 009. India.

    4. National Institute for the Orthopaedically Handicapped, B.T. Road, Bob-Hooghly, Calcutta - 700 090. India.

  2. Foreign organisations doing significant co-operation programs in the field of disability in our country:

    1. Christoffel Blindenmission, South Asia Regional Office (South) No.4, 1st Cross, 2nd Stage, 1st Block, Raja Mahal Vilas Extension, Ashwath Nagar, Bangalore - 560 094. Tel: 00 91 80 351 2851 / 2852 Fax: 00 91 80 351 2853 Email: cbmsaros@blr.vsnl.net.in Contact person : Mrs. Silvana Inselmann, Regional Representative /Mrs. Gunawathy Fernandez, Programme Manager

    2. Caritas India, CBCI Centre, 1, Ashok Place, Goledakkana, New Delhi - 110 001. Tel: 00 91 11 3363390 / 3732339 Fax : 011 371 5146 Email: caritas_india@vsnl.com Contact person: Fr. John Noronha, Executive Director

    3. MISEREOR Postfach 1450, D-52015, AACHEN. GERMANY Tel: 00 49 241 44 2 - 0 Fax: 00 49 0 241 44 21 88 Email: postmaster@misereor.de Contact person: Dr. Josef Sayer, Executive Director.