-Scroll.in A government plan to dilute the Disabilities Act to enable ease of doing business was blocked even though the usual tools of protest were unavailable. It was last Thursday, July 2, that my phone started buzzing with notifications from friends and fellow members of the disabled community. The day earlier, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment had quietly released a notification under the ‘What’s new’ section of their website titled...

A recent survey conducted by National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People (NCPEDP) -- a Delhi-based non-profit organisation -- shows how persons with disabilities in the country were disproportionately affected by the COVID–19 crisis. The report by NCPEDP has observed that persons with disabilities, particularly those from economically deprived sections, went through severe hardship during the lockdown. Without sufficient access to food or money, many of them faced hunger...

-The Indian Express The report, which comprised approximately 73 per cent males and 27 per cent females, showed that over "73 per cent of those interviewed were facing severe challenges on account of the lockdown". Considering the numerous challenges that Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) have been facing during lockdown, a recent survey recommends enforcing the March 27, 2020 Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD) guidelines for securing financial support to...

-The Hindu Limited access to doorstep delivery of essentials, govt helplines and financial govt aid are key problems Limited access to doorstep delivery of essentials, government helplines and financial assistance from the government were among the key problems faced by persons with disability, according to a report on ‘status of persons with disabilities in India during the COVID-19 crisis’, released by the National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People (NCPEDP)...

-The Hindu A large share of Disabled Persons not only lose their jobs but have to spend more towards their livelihood A large number of disabled Indians are not literate and also not a part of the labour force. A high proportion of them lost their jobs after the onset of disability, even as their expenses increased. The conclusions are based on the 76th National Sample Survey 2018. Low literacy levels An overwhelming share...