New central amendments will delay disability certificates, say activists

The amendments alter the process of application and issuance of disability certificates and the unique disability ID (UDID).
Image used for representational purposes only
Image used for representational purposes onlyExpress Illustration
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CHENNAI: Activists advocating for the rights of persons with disabilities have criticised the recent amendments to the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Rules, 2017, introduced by the union government. They say that the changes complicate the process of obtaining disability certificates and are an attempt to reduce the number of disabled individuals availing them.

The amendments alter the process of application and issuance of disability certificates and the unique disability ID (UDID). Previously, individuals could apply for a certificate through the medical authority or any notified authority in their district, or through a government hospital where they were treated. Now, all applications should only be submitted through the UDID portal.

S Namburajan, state vice-president of the Tamil Nadu Association for the Rights of All Types of Differently-abled and Caregivers, said, “Eight years after launching the UDID scheme in 2016, only 30% of disabled persons have received their IDs. The government is delaying issuance of IDs citing various issues including lack of funds.

Stating that applications can only be made through the UDID portal seems like a change aimed at reducing the number of certificates issued.” He urged the state government not to implement the amended rules as it would affect the rights of disabled persons in accessing various schemes.

The amendments also extend the issuance period for disability certificates from one month to three months. Additionally, if no decision is made within two years, the application will become inactive, requiring reapplication. Activists also condemned these changes and stated that they are uncalled for.

Muralidharan, general secretary of National Platform for the Rights of the Disabled, criticised the recent amendments, stating they fail to address the systemic problems highlighted in the Puja Khedkar case. “The proposed amendments are based on a wrong assumption that persons with disabilities are entirely responsible for manipulating the certification process,” he said.

He pointed out that the number of fake certificates issued is a very small fraction of the total, and similar flaws exist in almost all documentation systems in India. Muralidharan also said that the concerns raised by disability rights organisations and activists were disregarded during the amendment process. Puja Khedkar, a disqualified IAS probationary officer, was found guilty of cheating and wrongly availing Other Backward Classes (OBC) and disability quota benefits.

The organisations have demanded that the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD) withdraw the amendments and stated it is against the spirit of both the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016.

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