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NCPEDP pushes for hike in Union Budget allocation for differently-abled
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SME Times News Bureau | 28 Nov, 2020
The National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People
(NCPEDP) has said the budgetary allocation for people with disabilities
has been too low in the past few years. It has urged the Central
government to increase the allocation in the upcoming Union Budget.
In
a letter to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, te NCPEDP
said,"Over the past few years the budgetary allocation for person with
disabilities has been 0.04 per cent which is disheartening and
inadequate to meet the needs of this particularly vulnerable and
marginalised section of society."
It noted that people with disabilities have been the worst-hit by the Covid-19 pandemic this year.
"Loss
of access to healthcare, support systems, education, livelihood and
even basic food supplies are the new normal for the vast majority of
India's differently-abled community. At this time especially and in the
near future, access to support has become a survival issue."
Among
its recommendations, the rights' body for the disabled people said the
Union government should ensure inclusive tax policy measures for the
differently-abled.
The NCPEDP said no GST should be levied on
aids and appliances for persons with disabilities and no tax should be
imposed on the purchase of cars and wheelchairs available in the
national and international markets.
It also sought an increase in Standard Deduction under Section 80 U and 80 DD of Income Tax for persons with disabilities.
The
NCPEDP has asked the Centre to appoint a person in all the states
within the Ministry of Finance responsible for disbursing the fund for
disabled people.
Among other suggestions, it has urged the Union
government to step up investments to safeguard livelihoods, including
measures such as unemployment allowances for disabled people, who have
lost their jobs and livelihood due to the pandemic.
"Give a boost
to employment of disabled persons by providing incentives to private
sector employers (as mandated under Section 35, RPwD Act-2016) to ensure
that at least 5 per cent of their workforce constitutes persons with
'benchmark disability'," the NCPEDP recommended.
It has also
suggested an increase in allocation under NHFDC for generating
entrepreneurial and self-employment opportunities among disabled
persons.
It said that the quantum of state disability pension should be raised to Rs 1,500 per month for every differently-abled person.
Persons
with 'benchmark disabilities' need to be provided monthly support such
as adequate caregiver allowance in accordance with Section 38 of the
Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act,2016, the NCPEDP said.
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