Chandigarh’s group home for mentally disabled adults is now functional: Centre to Lok Sabha

According to the reply, 37 applications were received for admission. Of these, seven eligible applicants were selected, and there is currently no waiting list. The total expenditure incurred on the facility stands at about ₹24 crore.

Rai also said that monitoring mechanisms are in place to ensure the timely implementation of disability welfare schemes. At the national level, the chief commissioner for Persons with Disabilities oversees safeguards, while state commissioners monitor implementation at the state level. In addition, the Central Advisory Board on Disability and State Advisory Boards evaluate policies and programmes related to persons with disabilities.

Tewari had sought details on why the facility had remained non-operational despite the completion of civil works, who was responsible for the delay in staffing, and how many persons were awaiting admission.

HC flags outdated income cap

In its interim order on August 6, the Punjab and Haryana High Court questioned the continued reliance on a decade-old income cap of ₹1.5 lakh for admission of mentally ill persons under the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) quota in Chandigarh’s group home, observing that the criteria have not kept pace with inflation.

Parents of intellectually disabled children are in the Punjab and Haryana High Court on this issue.

Under existing rules, 25 per cent of twin-sharing rooms in the facility are reserved for EWS applicants. However, only those with an annual income below ₹1.5 lakh qualify. “Anyone who is mentally ill but has an annual income above ₹1.5 lakh cannot seek admission under the said quota… despite the passage of more than a decade, the said criteria have not been revised, which appears to be quite unreasonable,” the bench noted in its interim order.

Counsel for the UT Administration admitted that the cap was based on a May 13, 2016, order of the Department of Food and Supplies, issued on the basis of older data, and sought time to obtain instructions. The court was informed that a meeting chaired by the UT Administrator would soon be convened to discuss the issue.

The petitioners’ counsel also highlighted anomalies and shortcomings in the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) governing admissions, pointing to detailed representations submitted in May and July this year. Taking note, the Bench directed the UT to ensure that these shortcomings are addressed in the upcoming review.

Significantly, the court also asked that Senior Advocate R S Bains and Advocate Kshitij Sharma, who represent the petitioners, be allowed to participate in the committee meeting to present their submissions.

The committee is expected to consider all aspects and place its recommendations before the Chandigarh Administrator for approval.

The matter has been adjourned to September 11.