Government mandates 4% housing reservation for people with disabilities

The decision was taken with an aim to reaffirm the commitment to equal opportunities for all citizens under the Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan, the Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs said in a release.

"In alignment with the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act, 2016, the Directorate of Estates has issued an Office Memorandum to ensure fair access to central government residential accommodations for persons with disabilities," the release added.

According to the ministry, this initiative is a reflection of "the government's dedication to the empowerment of every citizen and also strengthens the foundation of an inclusive and accessible India."

Recently, the Supreme Court ruled that the eKYC (digital Know Your Customer) process must be made accessible to people with disabilities. A bench of Justices JB Pardiwala and R Mahadevan, while pronouncing a judgement on PIL pleas seeking directions to the government regarding problems faced by acid attack victims and blind or persons with low-vision in being able to complete the eKYC process, stated that the right to digital access is intrinsic to Right to Life under Article 21 of the Constitution of India.

Additionally, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is directed to issue guidelines to ensure that alternative, inclusive methods are available for verifying customer "liveness" during Digital KYC or e-KYC processes, moving beyond methods like eye blinking, which may not be accessible to persons with disabilities.

Furthermore, the RBI must clarify that customer onboarding through video-based KYC (V-CIP) does not require eye blinking, making the process more inclusive.The directions also state that KYC templates and customer acquisition forms must be redesigned to record the type and percentage of disability, enabling institutions to provide accessible services or reasonable accommodations to customers with disabilities. (ANI)