Maharashtra Govt Constitutes State Advisory Board For Disability Welfare After Delay, Informs Bombay HC

Mumbai: The state government informed the Bombay High Court (HC) on Monday that it had constituted the state advisory board as required under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016. Advocate Jamshed Mistry, who was appointed as amicus curiae (friend of the court), submitted that that board had not been constituted since 2020.

As per the Act, the board shall hold meetings twice a year. State’s advocate Abhay Patki informed the HC that a complete composition to the state advisory board has taken place. An affidavit was filed by Vishnudas Ghodke, deputy secretary with the persons with disabilities welfare department.

About The Board

“The board is now functional in all respects,” read the affidavit. It added that the office of the additional chief secretary of the same department – which is located at Mittal Tower, A wing, third floor, Nariman Point – will serve as the office for all board's purposes. The affidavit further stated that they have launched an email address for communication with regard to the functioning of the board.Patki assured that the board will meet in February.

The affidavit stated that the meet will address key issues related to the welfare of persons with disabilities. The agenda includes conducting periodic medical examinations of disabled students in schools, workshops and orphanages, and reviewing measures to make Mumbai’s footpaths more accessible.

The meeting will also review the implementation of a 4% reservation in promotions related to government services. It will also assess the provision of a 5% reservation in agricultural land and housing schemes The HC had taken a suo moto (on its own) cognisance of the issue after one Karan Shah, who is wheelchairbound, highlighted the inaccessibility of footpaths.