Introduction

Welcome to our Disabilities topic center. To have a disability means that one has
fundamental difficulty accomplishing things that others take for granted. Disabilities
can be physical in nature (an inability to walk due to amputation, or muscular or
neurological dysfunction, for example), sensory (as in blindness, or deafness),
cognitive (as in brain damage or mental retardation), behavioral (as in an inability to
work), or even emotional. This particular disabilities topic center contains mostly
references to physical and sensory forms of disability, as other forms are adequately
covered in other topic centers.
Physical and sensory disabilities can be major impediments to participating in normal
society. As a simple example, consider the computer. Being able to use a computer
effortlessly is practically a basic literacy skill required for employment these days.
But blind people, and people who have lost the ability to use their hands for typing
(perhaps due to repetative stress injuries) have a great deal of difficulty operating a
computer. The same group is more or less unable to operate a car without
assistance. Persons who have lost the use of their legs are able to use a car (if they
have access to an expensive customized vehicle designed for their impediments, but
are stopped cold when required to go up or down a stairway (and don't even ask
about using fire escapes). While many deaf people are able to engage in normal
conversation to a good extent, they are often also recipients of special training
programs not available to all. Deaf persons must rely on technologies designed with
their needs in mind to do something as ‘simple' as watch television.

Disabilities can take a severe psychological toll. To be disabled means to have lost a
range of functioning or to never have acquired that functioning in the first place. It
can also easily mean being more isolated from others than one would like to be. And
because people are sometimes cruel and/or clueless, disabled persons are often
made to feel ‘different' by others. Grief and loss, a sense of being ‘broken' or
‘useless', and self-pity can easily cascade into a diagnosable depression or related
mental disorder. For this reason, it is important that persons with disabilities
remember to take care of their mental health needs as well as their physical ones.

10 Causes of Disability
1. Musculoskeletal: Between athletic or sports related issues, mere life events
(such as hurting your back while helping a neighbor move) or things such as
arthritis and chronic joint pain, this tops the list of reasons people are out of work
for a few weeks to a few months. Muscle, back, and joint disorders count for more
than one-in-four long-term disabilities.
2. Cancer: Cancer is a frightening disease in and of itself and it becomes even more
so when you realize it’s one of the top reasons people are unable to work. Each
year more than 70,000 people in their 20s and 30s are diagnosed with cancer.
The most common types of cancer seen in young adults are lymphoma, leukemia,
testicular, melanoma, and breast cancer. The treatments of these types of cancer
can debilitate some people, causing them not to be able to work for a significant
amount of time. How will they pay their bills without disability insurance?
3. Injuries: Exercise mishaps, surgery, accidents: About one in 10 long-term
disability claims are caused by injuries and poisonings. When was the last time
you broke a bone or tore a ligament that required surgery?
4. Cardiovascular: Between stress, poor lifestyle choices, and genetic tendencies,
heart disease causes nearly one in 10 new long-term disability claims. It strikes
unexpectedly and can affect your ability to work for a few weeks or ever a few
years.
5. Mental Disorders: During a given year, about 26 percent of the adult population
are diagnosed with one or more metal disorder. No wonder they account for
nearly 10 percent of long-term disabilities.
6. Pregnancy: That’s right…pregnancy. Though not often thought of as a disability,
pregnancy and childbirth—normal and with complications—will keep you away
from your job and your income (at a time you need it most). Short-term
disability covers the time you’re off after child birth, beyond the accrued paid time
off your employer provides. Why dip into savings when you have access to
insurance?
7. Nervous System: This includes eye and ear disorders, Multiple Sclerosis, Lou
Gehrig’s disease, epilepsy, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s disease. In fact, early
onset Alzheimer’s has been known to strike individuals in their 30s and affects
nearly 200,00 Americans younger than 65. People in these age ranges have
years to work, but can be without an income if diagnosed.
8. Infectious Disease: Talk about “germ warfare” …on your paycheck. Disability
claims due to infectious diseases have only increased as more diseases and
infections grow resistant to antibiotics. Protect your immune system and your
paycheck.
9. Digestive System: Does the thought of losing your paycheck make you bit
queasy? More than 34 million Americans are afflicted with diseases of the
digestive system; 20 million of whom have chronic disorders. Many of these
disorders prevent Americans from working for a short , or sometimes long, periods
of time.
10. Respiratory Disease: It is estimated that more than 35 million Americans are
living with some form of lung disease and many are prevented from working and
bringing home a paycheck as a result.

Measures

Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of

Rights and Full Participation) Act, 1995:

 Act has been enacted under Article 253 of the Constitution read
with item No. 13 of the Union List that reads “Participation in
international conferences, associations and other bodies and
implementing of decisions made there.”
 The Act was enacted to give effect to the Proclamation on the Full
Participation and Equality of the People with Disabilities in the
Asian and Pacific Region.

 It provides for disabled person’s education, employment, creation

of barrier free environment, social security, etc.
 The implementation of the Act requires a multi-sectoral
collaborative approach by the appropriate governments, including
various Central Ministries/Departments, States/Union Territories,
local bodies.

 Person with disability as defined in this act means a person

suffering from not less than forty per cent of any disability as
certified by a medical authority.

 Section 47 of this act talk about Non discrimination in government

employment.
2.National Trust for Welfare of Persons with Autism,
Cerebral Palsy, Mental Retardation and Multiple Disability
Act, 1999:

 The Act provides for constitution of the Board of the National Trust,
Local Level Committees, Accountability and Monitoring of the
Trust.
 It has provisions for legal guardianship of the four categories of the
persons with disabilities and for creation of enabling environment
for their as much independent living as possible.
3.Rehabilitation Council of India Act, 1992:
It provides for constitution of the Rehabilitation Council of
India(Which was set up in 1986 as registered society with
enactment of this act became a statutory body) for regulating the
training of rehabilitation professionals, maintenance of a Central
Rehabilitation Register, recognized rehabilitation qualifications,
minimum standards of educations etc.
4. Assistance to Disabled Persons for Purchase / Fitting of
Aids and Appliances (ADIP Scheme):

 Objective of scheme is to assist the needy disabled persons in

procuring durable, sophisticated and scientifically manufactured,
modern, standard aids and appliances.
 The Scheme aims to promote their physical, social and
psychological rehabilitation, by reducing the effects of disabilities
and enhance their economic potential.

 The Quantum of Assistance under the Scheme is limited by the

Income. For income up to 6000 rupee per month, full cost of
aid/appliance is provided as assistance. For income range 6000
rupee to 10000 rupee, 50% of the cost of aid/appliance is provided
as assistance

5. Deendayal Disabled Rehabilitation Scheme (DDRS):

Centrally Sponsored Scheme and launched in 1999 as Scheme to
Promote Voluntary Action for Persons with Disabilities.
 It was revised and renamed in 2003 as Deendayal Disabled
Rehabilitation Scheme.

 The objective of the it is:

(i) to create an enabling environment to ensure equal
opportunities, equity, social justice and empowerment of persons
with disabilities and
(ii) To encourage voluntary action for ensuring effective
implementation of the People with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities
and Protection of Rights) Act of 1995.

 Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment provides grants-in-aid

to NGOs to facilitate delivery of various services to persons with
disability.

CONCLUSION

Disability is a complex social issue and it is increasingly becoming a major concern all over the world.
The number of disabled people is increasing across the world due to various reasons. Disabled
people comprise a significant minority in most countries and their number also constitutes one of
the largest minorities in the world. Traditionally, disability has long been considered to be an index
of marginality1. They faced direct and indirect discrimination and were not able to enjoy the full
spectrum of civil, political, social, cultural and economic rights. Whatever the perception of the
society towards the persons with disabilities may be, it has to be fundamentally accepted that
disabled people are integral part of our society. No person can in fact claim to live long without
experiencing some kind of disability or claim to be completely disable-free. What matters most is
that every person must be able to feel that (s)he is part of the society without any kind of bias,
prejudice and discrimination. If the society can properly address the concerns of the persons with
disability, they too can contribute a lot for the development ofthe society. Contrarily, if the rights
and issues concerning persons with disability are not addressed properly it can 1 Kalpana
Kannabiran, “Chapter 2: Recognition ofDiscrimination Based on Disability” in Tools ofJustice: Non-
discrimination and the Indian Constitution, 86 (Routledge: New Delhi, 2012) 407 have significant
negative impact on our society (including widespread economic, cultural and political implications
for society as a whole).

Reference

http://www.drishtiias.com/upsc-exam-gs-resources-Schemes-for-Differently-Abled

http://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/115349/12/14_conclusion.pdf

blog.disabilitycanhappen.org › Disability Causes

https://www.mentalhelp.net/articles/introduction-to-disabilities/