The Central Advisory Board on Disability, which is mandated to meet every six months under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, has not been re-constituted since the previous board’s three-year term ended in November 2020, something that has been flagged by activists.
On Monday, at a press conference to discuss the “achievements” of the Social Justice and Empowerment Ministry in the eight years of the Narendra Modi government, SJ&E Minister Virendra Kumar did not respond to a question about the targets of the Accessible India Campaign, whose deadline is set to end in June. Instead, the Secretary of the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD), Anjali Bhawra, replied that the CAB would hold a meeting on June 24 where the achievements of the Centre and the States would be discussed. Ms. Bhawra did not comment on whether the deadline would be extended.
However, as on Tuesday, the CAB had not been re-constituted but the process was on, according to DEPwD officials who requested not to be named. The government had appointed the CAB on November 8, 2017, naming government officials and nominated members.
