Draft National Policy on Disability

What is the draft policy about?

• The draft National Policy on Persons with Disabilities was released by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, under the Social Justice and Empowerment Ministry.
• This policy is to replace the 2006 policy.

What is the purpose of this policy?

• The Health Ministry’s current national program on disabilities prevention focuses on ‘traditional causes’, according to the draft document. However, there are other causes, like medical negligence, malnourishment, impairment caused by disasters and socio-cultural factors. The draft policy seeks to account for these factors too.
• The number of disabilities, under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2