Sent from my Samsung Galaxy smartphone.-------- Original message --------From:
National Platform For The Rights of the Disabled <[email protected]> Date:
30/05/2017 6:54 pm (GMT+05:30) To: [email protected] Subject:
[AI] Fwd: Protest GST on Aids & Appliances
*National Platform for the Rights of the Disabled*
*36, Pt. Ravi Shankar Shukla Lane, New Delhi 110001*
*Email: [email protected] <[email protected]>; Tel. 9868768543*
*May 30, 2017*
*Press Statement*
The National Platform for the Rights of the Disabled (NPRD) registers its
strong protest against the decision of the GST Council to impose taxes on a
range of aids and appliances used by persons with disabilities. The
recently held meeting of the GST council has proposed to levy GST ranging
from 5 to 18 per cent on a number of items that the disabled use.
While crutches, wheel chairs, walking frames, tricycles, braillers,
artificial limbs, assistive devices, rehabilitation aids and carriages for
disabled persons will attract a GST of 5 per cent; 12 per cent GST would be
levied on Braille Paper, Braille watches and hearing aids; whereas those
purchasing Braille Typewriters and cars for physically disabled persons
would now have to pay a GST of 18 per cent. All these appliances and
devices which are essential for a large number of persons with disabilities
are currently exempt from all duties and taxes.
The levying of such taxes would lead to a manifold increase in the costs of
these items, which even now are out of reach of the common disabled in the
country. As compared to a printed book, a Braille version costs around
five times more. This will impose additional burdens and have adverse
consequences for persons with disabilities. Apart from having a distressing
effect on education, impeding mobility, deprivation of employment
opportunities etc., it would also snatch away the rights of disabled
persons to lead a dignified life.
Besides, these proposals militate against the provisions of the recently
enacted Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 as also the United
Nations Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities to which India is
a signatory, which recognizes the principle of 'reasonable accommodation',
provision of access, equality etc. While the Modi government has sought to
bestow divinity on the disabled by coining terms like *divyang,* in
practice it is depriving a section of Indian citizens of even the limited
entitlements and opportunities that they avail today. Strangely, despite
the passage of the RPD Act, which uses the term “persons with disabilities”
to denote disabled persons, the notification uses derogatory terms like
“handicapped”.
The NPRD urges the Finance Minister to withdraw the proposed GST on aids,
appliances and assistive devices used by persons with disabilities, before
they are finalised. The NPRD calls upon its state affiliates and all other
disability rights organisations to lodge protests and take up the issue
with their respective state governments.
*(Muralidharan)*
*Secretary*
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