CHENNAI: Two years after the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPWD) Act was passed, Tamil Nadu has failed to implement several sections of the Act, finds a new study. In a bid to evaluate the implementation of mandated State’s administrative structures, funds, appointments and notifications mentioned under the Act, the study picked 19 such mandates, and found that Tamil Nadu complied with only eight.
The study was conducted in 24 states and union territories by Disability Rights India Foundation (DRIF) in collaboration with National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People (NCPEDP), and National Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (NCRPD), with the support of Titan Company Limited. Compared to others, the State however, was ranked fifth by the study.
Tamil Nadu, for example, is among the only 10 that have notified the State rules. State governments were required to notify the State Rules within six months from the date of commencement of the Act.
The Rules are important to the implementation of the Act, as it provides the manner in which the committees or boards have to be constituted, the procedures for transaction of business, the salaries and allowances of commissioners and other members.
Tamil Nadu is also among the 12 states that has constituted State funds, a State Advisory Board (SAB) and appointed a State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities.On the other hand, it has failed to constitute an advisory committee to the commissioner or form a district committee. Looking into access to the judiciary, the study points that Tamil Nadu has not constituted special courts at districts or appointed public prosecutors and executive magistrates as mentioned under the Act.
No state in the study, had constituted an assessment board for disabled people with high support needs.
Tamil Nadu has fared well in employment creation and social security schemes for PwD.
The State has constituted an expert committee to identify suitable jobs which could be reserved for persons with benchmark disabilities. It has also started issuing disability certificates to newly added categories in the RPWD Act.The only State that has taken some action with regard to providing an increased quantum of assistance (at least twenty-five per cent) for people with disabilities in social security schemes, is Tamil Nadu, the study revealed.