According to Sudarshan Subedi, President of National Federation of the Disabled-Nepal (NFDN), the budget´s silence on the disability allowance ignoring the Supreme Court´s order has made the disabled society extremely sad. [break]
“Other expectations were job opportunities, inclusiveness ensured in all state mechanism and a separate body or commission for the disabled,” said Subedi.
In a verdict issued on 14 August, 2012, the court had ordered the government to provide Rs 500 to Rs 4000 allowance to the disabled depending on the severity of their conditions. At present, the disabled get allowance in the range of Rs 300 to Rs 1000.
Disabled people have been categorized in four groups and they are provided red, blue, yellow and white cards depending upon the nature of their disability. Only the red and blue card holders get Rs 1000, while others get Rs 300.
Subedi stated that not all the disabled get the allowance as only 75 persons per district are provided the money. “If there are more eligible claimants, they do not get the money.”
The lack of mention of social security allowance, residential facilities for needy disabled and promotion of information technology or information data system for the disabled, promotional activities or government grant for disabled related organizations, among others, have concerned the disabled people, noted the secretary of NFDN, Tika Dahal. She added that the government also needed to be sensitive about children and women born with disabilities or develop them at a later phase in their life.
“Programs for civil service examination and capacity building have indeed excited us. However, there needed to be separate or special programs for children and women having disability as they struggle much harder,” she said.
Dahal stated that NFDN had demanded for disabled women friendly health services at government hospitals, which is essential to improve their reproductive health.
“However, the budget has not managed to include this. Similarly, stating free education for the children alone does not ensures their smooth schooling or education. They need a lot more support to have actual access to education.”
Though the census 2011 has counted 1.94 percent disabled in the country, NFDN has claimed that no less than 12 percent of the population is disabled, and the wrong count of the people has led to the lack of appropriate plan and policies for this group, Dahal remarks.
“It is world health organization´s estimation that 12 to 15 percent of a country´s population naturally falls under disabled category. The situation in Nepal might be severe as we are living in post conflict phase,” Dahal said. “However, in the census we were recorded even less than two percent. How can the state be fair towards us in such situation?”
Meanwhile, Subedi warned of protest programs if the government does not revise the budget programs for the disabled. “We are going to meet the concerned minister in a day or two with our demands. We will take further steps depending on the developments following the meeting,” he said.
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