Rights of Persons with Disabilities Bill passed in Parliament: 10 key points

New Delhi:  A day after the Rajya Sabha cleared it, the Lok Sabha on Friday passed the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Bill, 2014 with a voice vote, paving the way for it to to be turned into a law.

1. The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Bill, 2014, which aims at securing and enhancing the rights and entitlements of disabled persons.
2. The bill provides for imprisonment of at least six months up to two years, along with a fine ranging between Rs 10,000 and Rs 5 lakh for discriminating against differently-abled persons.
3. It proposes to increase reservation for those with benchmark disabilities in government jobs from current three per cent to four per cent, and in higher educational institutes from the existing three per cent to five per cent.
4. The Union government had approved 120 amendments to the original bill.
5. RPWD Bill, 2014 replaces the 1995 Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act.
6. In the bill, disability has been defined based on an evolving and dynamic concept and the types of disabilities have been increased from existing seven to 21.
7. The Centre will have the power to add more types of disabilities to it.
8. The types of disabilities now include mental illness, autism spectrum disorder, cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, chronic neurological conditions.
9. It also strengthens the office of chief commissioner and state commissioners for Persons with Disabilities which will act as regulatory bodies.
10. The bill gives effect to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and related matters.