Chennai: Persons with disabilities (PwDs) and disability rights groups are upset with promises made for their welfare in the poll manifestos of both Dravidian parties. While DMK has promised to hike the monthly financial assistance for PwDs from 1,500 to 2,500, and for severe disabilities from 2,000 to 4,000, the AIADMK promised that minimum loan amount differently-abled people can take through cooperative societies will be hiked from 1,00,000 to 2,00,000, and that it will be provided with a 50% subsidy.Disability rights activists say the promises fail to address the problems at the grassroots level. “There is a need for policy-level changes. For about 14.35 lakh PwDs in TN, accessibility continues to be a major issue. Even the secretariat, where laws are made, is inaccessible to them. The budget for PwDs must be increased to at least 3% of the state GDP,” said S Namburajan, working president, National Platform for the Rights of the Disabled.The monthly dole promise is also grossly inadequate, said K Mohan, a person with visual impairment in the city. “2,500 is a meagre amount. The amount should be increased to at least 5,000,” he added.However, PwD activists with political affiliations beg to differ. T M N Deepak, a PwD activist with DMK, said the party made a range of promises—from allocating 250 crore over the next five years to identify and provide modern assistive devices for PwDs to assistance for loans and financial guidance. “The DMK’s manifesto aims to secure the lives of PwDs,” he added.
