The National Advisory Council, chaired by Ms Sonia Gandhi, has recommended giving tax benefits to private employers of persons with disabilities, in a set of measures to enable their greater participation in the workforce.
Giving its suggestions on the draft Rights of Persons with Disabilities Bill (RPDB), the NAC has also suggested extending subsidies and financial incentives for starting small-scale income generation activities by household of persons with disabilities.
“RPDB should also mandate support to families with persons with disabilities themselves in engaging in or accessing gainful employment, including financial and tax benefits to private employers of persons with disabilities,” the advisory panel said in a recent communication to the Government.
It has pitched for stronger anti-discrimination provisions to lower barriers to their productive employment, thus enabling greater participation of persons with disabilities in the workforce.
Voicing concern over non-recognition of full legal capacity of persons with disabilities, the NAC has recommended that the Law Ministry review all statutes in order to include an acknowledgement of full legal capacity for such persons.
Noting that there were multiple laws that provide and protect the rights of persons with disabilities, the NAC has suggested merging them into one holistic law to avoid inconsistencies and duplication.