On the last day of the winter session, the Lok Sabha today passed the bill
Keeping aside the bitterness over notes ban issue which paralysed the Winter session, Parliament today passed the Disabilities Bill which stipulates up to two year jail term and a maximum fine of Rs 5 lakh for discriminating against differently-abled persons.
On the last day of the session, the Lok Sabha today passed the bill within two hours after a short debate. The debate was between the treasury and opposition benches, who have been at loggerheads over demonetisation and other issues, joining hands to clear the legislation.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was present in the House when the bill was passed.
Earlier on Wednesday, the Rajya Sabha too had witnessed similar bonhomie for passage of The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Bill, 2016.
In response to the debate, Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment Thaawar Chand Gehlot announced that a scheme of 'universal identity card for the disabled' is on the anvil and an agency has already been finalised for the purpose.
The proposed card would also be linked to the Aadhar card to help the disabled all over the country in a seamless fashion, he said.
Mr Gehlot said the universal identity card is being acted upon to overcome the problem of disability certificate being faced by those affected.
He said the government has joined hands with German and British firms for making available state-of-the-art limbs to the disabled wherever possible.
The Lok Sabha witnessed a division on an amendment by Congress and Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) members seeking to raise the reservation in the bill from 4 to 5 per cent. It was defeated by 121 to 43 votes. KC Venugopal of the Congress who had given the amendment pressed for the division.
Members from both sides supported the bill but suggested certain changes to improve the measure.
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With inputs from PTI)