GUWAHATI: While India advances on disability rights and just days after the Advantage Assam 2.0 Investment and Infrastructure Summit 2025, which focused on the state’s growth and development, the disability sector came together to push for another crucial aspect of inclusive progress. A Regional Consultation on Strengthening Access to Rights for Persons with Disabilities in North East India was organised on Friday at Shishu Sarothi, Guwahati, in partnership with National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People (NCPEDP) with the support of Mphasis F1 Foundation. The consultation brought together government representatives, Disabled People’s Organizations, NGOs, and persons with disabilities to address systemic barriers and gaps in accessing entitlements, services and forming a national agenda for the disability sector.
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The consultation highlighted critical issues such as the challenges in obtaining disability certificates and Unique Disability ID (UDID) cards, inadequate budget allocations for disability-related initiatives, barriers to accessing justice, and inclusive health insurance. Participants deliberated on these key areas, identifying gaps and proposing actionable recommendations to be submitted to the relevant authorities for policy reforms.
“In a region as diverse and geographically challenging as the North East, persons with disabilities face immense obstacles in accessing their fundamental rights. This consultation is a step towards bridging those gaps by directly engaging with stakeholders and advocating for much-needed policy interventions. The most important & urgent demand that has come out of these regional consultations is the inclusion of persons with disabilities, with no income and age criteria, in Government’s Ayushman Bharat Health Insurance Scheme. I urge the state to act upon it immediately.” said Arman Ali, Executive Director, NCPEDP.
“One of the most pressing concerns for persons with disabilities is the cumbersome process of obtaining disability certification and UDID cards, particularly for those living in remote areas. Multiple visits to various authorities and a lack of awareness about the process have resulted in significant delays, depriving many of their entitlements”, Ketaki Baradalai, Executive Director, Shishu Sarothi stressed the urgent need for a streamlined and accessible mechanism to ensure that every eligible person receives their rightful documentation without undue hardship. Dr. Umesh Phangcho, Director, Health Services, Assam and Smti. Sushama Hazarika, Assam State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities also graced the consultation.
The discussion on access to justice shed light on the systemic barriers that prevent persons with disabilities from fully engaging with legal institutions. Issues such as inaccessible courtrooms, procedural complexities, lack of representation, and discriminatory attitudes continue to hinder their ability to seek and receive justice. Stakeholders urged for greater legal awareness and institutional reforms to make the judicial system more inclusive.
Another focal point of the consultation was the state budget for disability initiatives. Despite the increasing recognition of disability rights, financial allocations for disability welfare remain inadequate. Experts at the consultation emphasized the need for stronger budgetary commitments at the state level to ensure the effective implementation of policies promoting inclusion and accessibility.
With approximately 55 participants, including government officials, disability rights advocates and representatives from NGOs across the region, the consultation provided a collaborative platform to discuss, document, and propose actionable solutions to long-standing issues. The findings from this regional consultation will be submitted to the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment and the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, pushing for urgent policy changes to ensure that persons with disabilities in North East India are not left behind in the country’s development agenda.
