hello mr merchant, its not that I don't agree with you. But, now, I feel that, its not the right thred to discuss about disability related discount or wether apple should or should not offer it. For that, lets have a different thred and then, I would be more than happy to reply in your support. For this thred, lets stick to the topic. I hope you will understand my point with regards, Udit Pandey.
On Sat, 6 Sept 2025 at 21:50, Mujtaba Merchant <[email protected]> wrote: > Dear Naman, > > > > Your justification for advocating for policies that support the financial > well-being and independence of persons with disabilities is > well-articulated and compelling. I appreciate your nuanced perspective on > differentiating between general consumer electronics and specific assistive > technologies. > > > > However, I would like to add that a disability discount, similar to the > student discount offered by Apple, could be a significant step towards > making technology more accessible to people with disabilities. Just like > students, individuals with disabilities often face unique financial > challenges, and such a discount could help bridge the gap. > > > > Let's continue to advocate for policies that genuinely support the needs > of persons with disabilities. > > > > > > *From:* [email protected] <[email protected]> *On > Behalf Of *Naman Parakh > *Sent:* Saturday, September 6, 2025 8:59 PM > *To:* [email protected] > *Subject:* Re: [AI] GST 2.0: A Reform that Still Taxes Disability > > > > Hello everyone, > > > > Expanding on our ongoing discussion about the financial challenges faced > by persons with disabilities, it's crucial to highlight several points. > Firstly, securing employment often presents significant hurdles for > individuals with disabilities. When this fundamental difficulty is > compounded by additional taxes on essential assistive devices through GST, > and now the removal of exemptions under the new income tax regime, the > cumulative financial burden becomes substantial. > > > > A critical piece of information that is currently unclear is the import > duty on assistive technology that is not readily available in India. If > someone requires a specialized device that needs to be imported, > understanding the exact import duty becomes paramount to assessing the > overall cost and accessibility. This is a point that warrants further > investigation and clarification. > > > > Regarding the discussion around Apple devices, I believe it's important to > differentiate between general consumer electronics and specific assistive > technologies. My perspective is that a device like an iPhone or a MacBook > is primarily an ordinary product, not assistive technology in itself, even > if it has accessibility features. Therefore, I don't believe these devices > should be tax-free, as that could potentially lead to exploitation or an > unintended benefit for general consumers rather than targeting those with > genuine assistive needs. However, if there is specific software that > clearly classifies as assistive technology—for instance, a screen reader > like JAWS, which is indispensable for many with visual impairments—then > that software should indeed be considered for tax exemption. The focus > should be on the functionality that directly addresses a disability, rather > than the device it runs on. > > > > It is vital that we continue to advocate for policies that genuinely > support the financial well-being and independence of persons with > disabilities, addressing these various layers of economic strain. > > > > Best, > > Naman > > > > > > On Sat, Sep 6, 2025 at 8:46 PM Naman Parakh <[email protected]> > wrote: > > Hello everyone, > > > > To add to our discussion on financial considerations for persons with > disabilities, please note that under the new income tax regime, exemptions > for disabled individuals and disabled dependent are no longer available. > This increases the financial burden on these families, beyond the GST on > assistive devices. > > > > Best, > > Naman > > > > > > On Sat, Sep 6, 2025 at 8:12 PM UDIT Pandey <[email protected]> wrote: > > Well said. And as for apple products, well it's very clear that Apple's > accessibility is very intuitive. So, people have to stretch their budget to > get those devices. No, I am not at all starting an Apple vs. Android > debate. Plus, one can live without these Apple products, but living without > assistive technologies is not possible. > And for the organizations distributing those tools, yes, they do. But > then, at the end, if anything fails, or any other problem, it's the > beneficiaries who suffer. > Just as I said before in my previous email, the ratio between cans and > cannots in our country is not that good yet. We have more cannots than > compared to cans. So, I think we have to think about them as well. Now, I > want to take a very basic, real-life example to illustrate why there should > be 0% GST for assistive devices. And, yes, I'll be neutral. > > > > A Real-Life Example: Wheelchair vs. Television > Imagine a person with a severe physical disability who needs a specialized > wheelchair to be mobile. This isn't just a basic manual chair, but an > advanced, motorized one with custom supports. Let's say it costs ₹2,00,000. > When the government adds a 5% GST, the price increases by ₹10,000, bringing > the total to ₹2,10,000. > Now, let's compare this to an able-bodied person buying a luxury item, > like a high-end television for their home, also costing ₹2,00,000. They are > also paying GST. But the key difference is that the television is a want, > and the wheelchair is an absolute need. > Some might say, "Why can't the person with a disability just get a cheaper > model, like the person can get a cheaper TV?" This argument falls apart > very quickly. A person buying a TV has a choice; they can buy a cheaper > model or no TV at all without any real impact on their life. The person > with the disability doesn't have that luxury. The "cheaper" wheelchair > might not have the correct posture support to prevent health issues, or the > right motor to safely navigate their daily environment. Downgrading is not > an option; it's a sacrifice of a basic human function. > Then, they might say, "If a person is paying ₹2,00,000, can't they also > pay the extra ₹10,000?" Again, this misses the point entirely. The GST on > the wheelchair is not a one-time expense. People with disabilities face a > host of other unavoidable costs, like ongoing medical care, special > transport, and other tools. The 5% GST on the wheelchair is just one part > of a continuous and heavy financial burden. The real question is not > whether they can pay, but whether the government should be taxing a > fundamental necessity. > This isn't about giving a handout. It's about removing a financial barrier > that stands in the way of a person's ability to be independent, go to work, > and contribute to our country. > > -- > Disclaimer: > 1. Contents of the mails, factual, or otherwise, reflect the thinking of > the person sending the mail and AI in no way relates itself to its veracity; > > 2. AI cannot be held liable for any commission/omission based on the mails > sent through this mailing list.. > > > Search for old postings at: > http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ > --- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "AccessIndia" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [email protected]. > To view this discussion visit > https://groups.google.com/a/accessindia.org.in/d/msgid/accessindia/CAJZg8ffetjeFCLcfO_qmoDNDP0tTXN%3D4-_KqrqTQm2GZ%3DFKJpA%40mail.gmail.com > <https://groups.google.com/a/accessindia.org.in/d/msgid/accessindia/CAJZg8ffetjeFCLcfO_qmoDNDP0tTXN%3D4-_KqrqTQm2GZ%3DFKJpA%40mail.gmail.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> > . > > -- > Disclaimer: > 1. Contents of the mails, factual, or otherwise, reflect the thinking of > the person sending the mail and AI in no way relates itself to its veracity; > > 2. AI cannot be held liable for any commission/omission based on the mails > sent through this mailing list.. > > > Search for old postings at: > http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ > --- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "AccessIndia" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [email protected]. > To view this discussion visit > https://groups.google.com/a/accessindia.org.in/d/msgid/accessindia/CAPjGGpiPRN%3D2TDyZGHs9tC%2B76NVWsUYfucASQQ6XKG%2BkF%3Dap%3DA%40mail.gmail.com > <https://groups.google.com/a/accessindia.org.in/d/msgid/accessindia/CAPjGGpiPRN%3D2TDyZGHs9tC%2B76NVWsUYfucASQQ6XKG%2BkF%3Dap%3DA%40mail.gmail.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> > . > > -- > Disclaimer: > 1. Contents of the mails, factual, or otherwise, reflect the thinking of > the person sending the mail and AI in no way relates itself to its veracity; > > 2. AI cannot be held liable for any commission/omission based on the mails > sent through this mailing list.. > > > Search for old postings at: > http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ > --- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "AccessIndia" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [email protected]. > To view this discussion visit > https://groups.google.com/a/accessindia.org.in/d/msgid/accessindia/000901dc1f4a%2413c8f410%243b5adc30%24%40gmail.com > <https://groups.google.com/a/accessindia.org.in/d/msgid/accessindia/000901dc1f4a%2413c8f410%243b5adc30%24%40gmail.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> > . > -- hope that you all are safe with your family, udit follow me on instagram: udit@pandey123 mail me on gmail at [email protected] or outlook me at uditpandey6474@outlook we should not never speak bad, we should never see bad, and we should never lisson bad -- Disclaimer: 1. Contents of the mails, factual, or otherwise, reflect the thinking of the person sending the mail and AI in no way relates itself to its veracity; 2. AI cannot be held liable for any commission/omission based on the mails sent through this mailing list.. Search for old postings at: http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "AccessIndia" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/a/accessindia.org.in/d/msgid/accessindia/CAJZg8fdx-ZC7FkcwD-h%3DCUDNoAEkziTsbWe-s%3D82ZDPbObdUAA%40mail.gmail.com.
