Advocate-General Vijay Narayan on Wednesday told the Madras High Court that the State government was giving a Pongal cash gift of ₹2,500 not to individuals but to families holding ration rice cards. Therefore, the differently abled could not demand 25% more in terms of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPWD) Act of 2006.
‘T.N. is spending more’
Appearing before a vacation Bench of Justices R. Mahadevan and Anita Sumanth, he also listed out welfare schemes being implemented in the State for the benefit of the differently abled and claimed that Tamil Nadu was spending much more than the national average in order to ensure a dignified life for the physically challenged.
The submissions were made during the hearing of a public interest litigation (PIL) petition filed by the Tamil Nadu Association for the Rights of All Types of Differently Abled and Caregivers (TARATDAC), represented by its general secretary, S. Namburajan. The association demanded 25% more in terms of Section 24(1) of the RPWD Act of 2006.
Its counsel, C. Karl Marx, told the court that Section 24(1) made it clear that the quantum of assistance to the differently abled under social welfare schemes must be at least 25% higher than schemes applicable to others.
Therefore, the government was bound to provide 25% more than ₹2,500 to the differently abled, he argued.
Countering the submissions, the A-G said the provision could be pressed into effect only if the Pongal cash gift was given to individuals and not on the basis of each family.
He also undertook to file a detailed counter affidavit listing out the various schemes implemented for the benefit of the differently abled.
The Bench accepted his submission and adjourned the case to January 5.
