India’s Disabled population

Why in news?

December 3 is recognised by UN as International day of Persons with Disabilities. 

Who are disabled people & how are they identified?

• In India, men are more disabled when compared to women & disability is more prevalent in rural areas than in urban areas.
• Locomotor disability is the most common disability & more men experience it than women.

• Disabled people are identified based on questions posed in census.
• The number of disabilities in the questionnaire was expanded from 7 to 21 with the enactment of Rights of People with Disabilities (RPwD) in 2016.
• Hence, 2019 report includes questions to identify people with temporary loss of an ability, neurological, blood disorders and acid attack victims as disabilities.

How does statistical data about them varies?

• As per the 2011 census, 2.2% of India’s population lives with some kind of physical or mental disability.
• The latest 2019 NSO report, which used the expanded definition of disability reported a slightly higher prevalence.
• In 2019 study by the Public Health Foundation of India which used Annual Health Survey’s metrics gives a lower prevalence.
• Similarly, a group of doctors from AIIMS found that alternate questionnaires like the Rapid Assessment of Disability have resulted in a prevalence ranging from 1.6%-43.3%.

Why do we need the exact data about number of disabled people?

• In India, disabled people enjoy benefits ranging from reservation in educational institutes to concessions on railway tickets.

•  To claim these benefits, they have to furnish disability certificate.
• Moreover data on the prevalence and type of disability will be useful in making allocations for welfare schemes.
• The 2021 census will have disability questions as per the RPwD Act of 2016 & department of disability affairs is in the process of creating a national database of PwDs.

Source: The Indian Express