Urgent Call to Action: Nagaland Delays Critical Implementation of RPwD Act Sections | MorungExpress
Morung Express News
Dimapur | December 14
Nagaland has yet to fully comply with certain key provisions of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 (RPwD Act), as highlighted in a recent Supreme Court hearing on December 3. The state government has not yet enforced Sections 21, 26, and 37 of the Act. Section 21 mandates an Equal Opportunity Policy, while Sections 26 and 37 pertain to insurance schemes and special development programmes for persons with disabilities (PwDs).
During the hearing, the Supreme Court, with Justices Hrishikesh Roy and SVN Bhatti presiding, reviewed the progress of the Act’s implementation nationwide. This included a prior order from March 6, 2020. While several states and Union Territories (UTs) have submitted compliance affidavits, Nagaland remains among the states yet to do so.
The Court instructed all states and UTs to submit their compliance affidavits to the petitioner’s counsel within three weeks. A compiled chart presented during the hearing identified that only Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Karnataka, Lakshadweep, Odisha, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, and Uttarakhand have fully implemented the Act’s provisions.
Following the revelations, representatives from non-compliant states and UTs, including Nagaland, assured that measures would be taken to achieve full compliance. Accordingly, the Court set February 17, 2025, as the deadline for these states and UTs to finalize their compliance efforts. To ensure effective monitoring, each state and UT’s Chief Secretary must appoint a senior officer to oversee the implementation of the RPwD Act.
The Supreme Court has ordered that a copy of this directive be sent to all Chief Secretaries, with the case scheduled for further review on February 17, 2025. The ongoing efforts underscore the importance of fulfilling legal obligations to support the rights and development of persons with disabilities across the country.
Original Source: https://www.morungexpress.com/nagaland-yet-to-implement-three-sections-of-rpwd-act
Category : Nagaland
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Publish Date: 2024-12-15 02:51:00
