24. Social security
(1) The appropriate Government shall within the limit of its economic capacity and development formulate necessary schemes and programmes to safeguard and promote the right of persons with disabilities for adequate standard of living to enable them to live independently or in the community:
Provided that the quantum of assistance to the persons with disabilities under such schemes and programmes shall be at least twenty-five per cent. higher than the similar schemes applicable to others.
(2) The appropriate Government while devising these schemes and programmes shall give due consideration to the diversity of disability, gender, age, and socio-economic status.
(3) The schemes under sub-section (1) shall provide for,—
(a) community centres with good living conditions in terms of safety, sanitation, health care and counselling;
(b) facilities for persons including children with disabilities who have no family or have been abandoned, or are without shelter or livelihood;
(c) support during natural or man-made disasters and in areas of conflict;
(d) support to women with disability for livelihood and for upbringing of their children;
(e) access to safe drinking water and appropriate and accessible sanitation facilities especially in urban slums and rural areas;
(f) provisions of aids and appliances, medicine and diagnostic services and corrective surgery free of cost to persons with disabilities with such income ceiling as may be notified;
(g) disability pension to persons with disabilities subject to such income ceiling as may be notified;
(h) unemployment allowance to persons with disabilities registered with Special Employment Exchange for more than two years and who could not be placed in any gainful occupation;
(i) care-giver allowance to persons with disabilities with high support needs;
(j) comprehensive insurance scheme for persons with disability, not covered under the Employees State Insurance Schemes, or any other statutory or Government- sponsored insurance schemes;
(k) any other matter which the appropriate Government may think fit.
25. Healthcare
(1) The appropriate Government and the local authorities shall take necessary measures for the persons with disabilities to provide,—
(a) free healthcare in the vicinity specially in rural area subject to such family income as may be notified;
(b) barrier-free access in all parts of Government and private hospitals and other healthcare institutions and centres;
(c) priority in attendance and treatment.
(2) The appropriate Government and the local authorities shall take measures and make schemes or programmes to promote healthcare and prevent the occurrence of disabilities and for the said purpose shall—
(a) undertake or cause to be undertaken surveys, investigations and research concerning the cause of occurrence of disabilities;
(b) promote various methods for preventing disabilities;
(c) screen all the children at least once in a year for the purpose of identifying “at-risk” cases;
(d) provide facilities for training to the staff at the primary health centres;
(e) sponsor or cause to be sponsored awareness campaigns and disseminate or cause to be disseminated information for general hygiene, health and sanitation;
(f) take measures for pre-natal, perinatal and post-natal care of mother and child;
(g) educate the public through the pre-schools, schools, primary health centres, village level workers and anganwadi workers;
(h) create awareness amongst the masses through television, radio and other mass media on the causes of disabilities and the preventive measures to be adopted;
(i) healthcare during the time of natural disasters and other situations of risk;
(j) essential medical facilities for life saving emergency treatment and procedures; and
(k) sexual and reproductive healthcare especially for women with disability.
26. Insurance schemes
The appropriate Government shall, by notification, make insurance schemes for their employees with disabilities.
27. Rehabilitation
(1) The appropriate Government and the local authorities shall within their economic capacity and development, undertake or cause to be undertaken services and programmes of rehabilitation, particularly in the areas of health, education and employment for all persons with disabilities.
(2) For the purposes of sub-section (1), the appropriate Government and the local authorities may grant financial assistance to non-Governmental Organisations.
(3) The appropriate Government and the local authorities, while formulating rehabilitation policies shall consult the non-Governmental Organisations working for the cause of persons with disabilities.
28. Research and development
The appropriate Government shall initiate or cause to be initiated research and development through individuals and institutions on issues which shall enhance habilitation and rehabilitation and on such other issues which are necessary for the empowerment of persons with disabilities.
29. Culture and recreation
The appropriate Government and the local authorities shall take measures to promote and protect the rights of all persons with disabilities to have a cultural life and to participate in recreational activities equally with others which include,—
(a) facilities, support and sponsorships to artists and writers with disability to pursue their interests and talents;
(b) establishment of a disability history museum which chronicles and interprets the historical experiences of persons with disabilities;
(c) making art accessible to persons with disabilities;
(d) promoting recreation centres, and other associational activities;
(e) facilitating participation in scouting, dancing, art classes, outdoor camps and adventure activities;
(f) redesigning courses in cultural and arts subjects to enable participation and access for persons with disabilities;
(g) developing technology, assistive devices and equipments to facilitate access and inclusion for persons with disabilities in recreational activities; and
(h) ensuring that persons with hearing impairment can have access to television programmes with sign language interpretation or sub-titles.
30. Sporting activities
(1) The appropriate Government shall take measures to ensure effective participation in sporting activities of the persons with disabilities.
(2) The sports authorities shall accord due recognition to the right of persons with disabilities to participate in sports and shall make due provisions for the inclusion of persons with disabilities in their schemes and programmes for the promotion and development of sporting talents.
(3) Without prejudice to the provisions contained in sub-sections (1) and (2), the appropriate Government and the sports authorities shall take measures to,—
(a) restructure courses and programmes to ensure access, inclusion and participation of persons with disabilities in all sporting activities;
(b) redesign and support infrastructure facilities of all sporting activities for persons with disabilities;
(c) develop technology to enhance potential, talent, capacity and ability in sporting activities of all persons with disabilities;
(d) provide multi-sensory essentials and features in all sporting activities to ensure effective participation of all persons with disabilities;
(e) allocate funds for development of state of art sport facilities for training of persons with disabilities;
(f ) promote and organise disability specific sporting events for persons with disabilities and also facilitate awards to the winners and other participants of such sporting events.