Incapacity rights organisation expresses concern over proposed modification to RCI Act- The New Indian Specific
NEW DELHI: The National Platform for the Rights of the Disabled (NPRD), a disability rights organization, has expressed “serious concern” about proposed changes to the RCI Law, claiming they would undermine the autonomous nature of the Rehabilitation Council of India.
The council formed under the Rehabilitation Council of India Act of 1992 is tasked with regulating and supervising the training of rehabilitation professionals.
The government has proposed an amendment to the law to reflect developments in the rehabilitation and education sector in recent years from 1992 onwards.
“The need to change this law arose in view of the developments in the rehabilitation and education sector in recent years from 1992,” the government said in a public announcement.
“This includes the passage of the 2016 Disability Rights Act, which expanded the scope and coverage of disabilities,” the government said.
In a statement, the NPRD said that if the alleged goal is to harmonize the RCI in line with the 2016 Law on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPD Act), it would have been advisable to pass an alternative law, the one Holistic Approach to Law addresses a myriad of issues, including how the RCI works and management, rather than making incremental changes.
The NPRD expressed “serious concerns” about the proposed changes, saying the more problematic was the proposal to undermine the autonomous nature of the council and make it a complement to the central government.
“The NPRD demands that the government hold consultations with all stakeholders and not act in a rush. The NPRD will submit detailed proposals on the division’s proposals independently and in conjunction with other disability rights organizations,” it said.
The NPRD strongly believes that the government should instead replace the RCI Act with legislation that not only complies with the provisions of the UNCRPD and the RPD Act, but also seeks to address the multitude of issues that are currently emerging Plague council.
While maintaining its autonomous nature, it is important to ensure that there is accountability and that the Council functions in a democratic and transparent manner.
The government has asked all stakeholders, including state / UT administrations, civil society / non-governmental organizations, academics, public and private sector organizations, multilateral institutions and members of the public, to submit their comments on the proposed changes within a period of 21 Days.
Stakeholders could submit their proposals by email no later than December 23rd.
Comments are closed.