After a recent Supreme Court Judgment that acid attack victims should be included in disability list by the government welfare schemes and reservation in jobs and education centre, Government of India has included the acid attack survivors in the the list of disability.
Acid attack survivors, who are now part of the list of those with disabilities under the new law, will be eligible for government jobs under the one per cent quota for people with physical disabilities.
The Rights of Person with Disabilities Act, 2016, was notified on December 28. The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment plans to notify the rules to implement the Act by mid-April 2017.
After an act passed by Parliament and notified, concerned ministry has to frame rules for the respective act and notified in the official Government of India gazette.
Minister for women and child development Maneka Gandhi took to Twitter to highlight how the new law for persons with disabilities will help the cause of acid attack survivors.
Under the new law, in the category of physical disability are “acid attack victims“ who have been disfigured due to assault by throwing of acid or similar corrosive substance. The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment is targeting mid-April for readying the rules for the Act to be implemented.
Maneka Gandhi said acid attack survivors face permanent damage and require constant medical attention.
The women and child development minister said that between 2011 and 2013, a total of 234 cases of acid attacks were registered in which 279 women were affected.
Acid eats through two layers of the skin, eats into eyes, ears, nose and mouth, blinding the victim. The biggest immediate danger for victims is breathing failure. Thick scars that pull the skin very tight can cause disfigurement,“ Minister said in a slide posted on the micro-blogging site.
Under the new law, reservation in government jobs for persons with disabilities was increased from 3% to 4%.
For further details, please visit http://www.disabilityaffairs.gov.in