Cabinet nod to amending Disabilities Act, 1999

Through a proposed amendment, the term for chairperson and members of the National Trust for welfare of people with autism and other disabilities will be ascertained.

The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved fixing of the term for chairperson and members of the National Trust for welfare of persons with autism and other disabilities for three years through a proposed amendment in law.

A therapist works with a child with autism doing ABA (Applied Behavioral Analysis) therapy. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

The Section 4(1) of the National Trust for the Welfare of Person with Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Mental Retardation and Multiple Disabilities Act, 1999 provides that the chairperson or a member of the board would continue in office beyond the prescribed term of three years until his or her successor shall have been duly appointed.

In case of resignation of the chairperson, section 5(1) of the Act provides for him to continue in office until his successor is duly appointed by the government.

“The wording of the above provisions of the Act in its present form has resulted in continuation of a chairman for an indefinite period as no suitable successor could be found eligible for appointment,” an official statement said.

“The proposed amendments in these provisions of the Act seek to avoid such a situation and will thus eliminate any chance of prolonged continuation in the same post by any incumbent,” it said.