Shampa, Good job.
On 27 Feb 2010, at 05:29 PM, Shampa Sengupta <[email protected]> wrote:
http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http://www.hindustantimes.com/News-Feed/global-economy/Disability-groups-find-Pranab-s-budget-heartening/Article1-513296.aspx&h=530404e86b7e961c09f095d08cd1f8d2
Disability groups cheered up when a hike in investment in disabled-
friendly schemes and the setting up of the country's first sign
language training institute was announced by Finance Minister Pranab
Mukherjee in the general budget on Friday.
"The finance minister's announcement was very heart warming! It is a
positive step and in the right direction. We welcome the increase in
budget allocations," Javed Abidi, a disability rights activist told
IANS.
The allocation in budget 2010-11 for disabled-friendly schemes is Rs.
398 crore, a step up from previous year's spend of Rs.243.29 crore.
Investment in schemes for implementation of the Disability Act have
been increased manifold to Rs.95 crore from the previous Rs.7.5
crore. The allocation for schemes for employment to disabled persons
has been increased by over 50 percent to Rs.7 crore.
Abidi, who is also founder of the National Centre for Promotion of
Employment for Disabled People (NCPEDP), an umbrella organisation
for over 100 non-governmental organisations (NGOs) working on
disability issues across India, said he wished that "the budget was
more," to expedite the country's 11th five-year plan assuring freely
accessible infrastructure and development for disabled people under
the Disability Act.
While presenting the budget, the finance minister mentioned the
establishing of the country's first sign language institute, which
has been one of the three major demands of the disability rights
activists.
"The allocation will also assist in establishing an Indian Sign
Language Research and Training Centre for the benefit of the hearing
impaired. District Disability Rehabilitation Centres are being set
up in 50 additional districts along with two composite regional
centres for persons with disabilities," Mukherjee said.
Taxes liabilities on those caring for disabled dependents have also
been relaxed.
Direct tax deduction with respect to maintenance, including medical
treatment, of a dependent who is a person with severe disability has
been raised from the present limit of Rs.75,000 to Rs.100,000.
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