National
Budget fails to impress differently-abled people
People from the least advantaged group, that includes the disabled, senior citizens and socially marginalised, are less optimistic about the government’s budget announced on Tuesday.Anup Ojha
People from the least advantaged group, that includes the disabled, senior citizens and socially marginalised, are less optimistic about the government’s budget announced on Tuesday.
Finance Minister Yubaraj Khatiwada included special plans for people of this group. The government is set to introduce various rehabilitation programmes for people with disability to increase their confidence and skills.
The plan also includes rescue and rehabilitate abandoned people and people who are working under high risk.
National Federation of Disabled President Sudarshan Subedi said, “Every year the government makes such plans, but never implements it. We do not know which ministry is going to handle disabled people’s issue and how much money the government has allocated for it. This announcement is made just for the sake of announcement.”
Based on World Health Organisation report on worldwide disability around 15 percent of the world’s population have some form of disability. A majority of lives in the developing countries like Nepal.
Census 2011 shows there are 513,321 people with a disability across the country that comprises 1.94 percent of the total population in the country.
NFD General Secretary Raju Basnet said, “This statement is also just to impress us. The government has not done anything more than distributing very small amount of money for those who can reach to government.”
The quality of a country’s infrastructure directly affects the mobility of disabled people. Due to the absence of disabled-friendly infrastructure, many such people are deprived of accessing education, health and employment.
Even the Early Childhood Development (ECD) does not admit children with disability.
“If the children with disability are not allowed to join ECD, what would be their future? Clearly, the government is not looking at this aspect seriously,” said Subedi.
He also wondered why the government does not propose comprehensive plans for people affected with autism, Downs’ Syndrome, aurally and visually challenged.
“The government has done little within Kathmandu with the help of NGOs and INGO’s. The situation outside the valley is really worse,” said Subedi.
The 43th point of 269 budget points, talks about making all the schools disabled-friendly and provide hostel facilities for such students whose homes are far away from school. It also talks about developing Braille code and providing special educational facilities for such students in all seven provinces.
“These reports are not made by an expert. There is no competent institution in the country to study about disability issues in the country. These plans come with political intent,” said Subedi.