Premium

State supported care sought: Parents flag concern over govt order on benefits for persons with intellectual disabilities

The move has evoked concern among parents of children with intellectual disabilities, especially once the child loses its dependency on the parent.

3 min readPuneMar 30, 2026 08:12 PM IST

The theme for World Autism Awareness Day (April 2) is 'Autism and Humanity- Every Life has Value' and focusses on affirming the dignity, rights, and potential of autistic individuals.

At a recent meeting of parents’ associations in Pune under the aegis of Parivaar, a national confederation across 31 states, concern was flagged about the Maharashtra Government’s March 27 order which states that only those individuals with a permanent disability certificate or Universal Disability Identity Card (UDID) will be eligible for benefits under government schemes, while those with temporary certificates will not qualify.

The move has evoked concern among parents of children with intellectual disabilities, especially once the child loses its dependency on the parent.

Parents’ associations observed that such provisions could inadvertently exclude a section of persons with disabilities who require continued support and emphasised that policies should remain aligned with the inclusive spirit of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016.

Arman Ali, executive director of National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People (NCPEDP), said,

“Excluding temporary certificate holders is a fundamental violation of Article 14 (Equality before Law). It creates an arbitrary subclass of persons with disabilities, individuals recognised by the State as having at least 40% disability, yet denied the means to address it. This is especially harsh for those with intellectual disabilities. When the State issues a ‘temporary’ status for what is often a lifelong neuro-developmental condition, families are forced into a cycle of repeatedly proving disability. Administrative hurdles must not become barriers to constitutional rights,” Ali said.

Cdr. Shrirang Bijur (retd.), a former president of Parivaar from 2016 to 2023, told The Indian Express that the new order will deprive children with intellectual disabilities, learning disabilities, and autism/ASD from early intervention. “The early years of a child’s life, especially between the ages of 1 and 6 YEARS, are a golden window for development. During this time, children with conditions such as intellectual disabilities, autism and cerebral palsy have the greatest chance to improve, grow and reach their potential, if they receive timely early intervention therapies. Every day of support matters,” Cdr Bijur, 73, parent to a son with intellectual disabilities, said.

The theme for World Autism Awareness Day (April 2) is ‘Autism and Humanity- Every Life has Value’ and focusses on affirming the dignity, rights, and potential of autistic individuals. This theme highlights the need for inclusion in all aspects of life, advocating for neurodiversity to strengthen communities.

Story continues below this ad

At the meeting of Parivaar, a national confederation of more than 310 parent associations and civil society organisations across 31 states, parents associations decided to submit their demands to the Maharashtra government especially on the broader issue of state-supported residential care and long-term security for persons with intellectual disabilities.

Anuradha Mascarenhas

Anuradha Mascarenhas is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. With a career spanning three decades, she is one of the most respected voices in Indian journalism regarding healthcare, science and environment and research developments. She also takes a keen interest in covering women's issues . Professional Background Education: A gold medalist in Communication and Journalism from Savitribai Phule Pune University and a Master’s degree in Literature. Author: She authored the biography At The Wheel Of Research, which chronicles the life and work of Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, the former Chief Scientist at the WHO. Key Focus: She combines scientific accuracy with storytelling, translating complex medical research into compelling public and human-interest narratives. Awards and Recognition Anuradha has won several awards including the Press Council of India's national award for excellence in journalism under the gender based reporting category in 2019 and the Laadli Media award (gender sensitivity -2024). A recipient of the Lokmat journalism award (gender category-2022), she was also shortlisted for the RedInk awards for excellence in journalism-2021. Her debut book At The Wheel Of Research, an exclusive biography of Dr Soumya Swaminathan the inaugural chief scientist of World Health Organisation was also nominated in the Popular Choice Category of JK Paper AUTHER awards. She has also secured competitive fellowships including the Laadli Media Fellowship (2022), the Survivors Against TB – New Research in TB Media Fellowship (2023) and is part of the prestigious 2025 India Cohort of the WomenLift Health Leadership Journey.” Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) 1. Cancer & Specialized Medical Care "Tata Memorial finds way to kill drug-resistant cancer cells" (Nov 26, 2025): Reporting on a breakthrough for triple-negative breast cancer, one of the most aggressive forms of the disease. Discipline, diet and purpose; How a 97-year-old professor defies ageing'' (Nov 15, 2025) Report about Prof Gururaj Mutalik, the first Head of Department at Pune's B J Government Medical College who at 97 credits his longevity to healthy habits and a strong sense of purpose. 2. Environmental Health (The "Breathless Pune" Series) Long-term exposure even to 'moderate' air leads to chronic heart, lung, kidney issues" (Nov 26, 2025): Part of an investigative series highlighting that even "safe" pollution levels are damaging to vital organs. "For every 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 level, there was 6-8% jump in medicine sales" (Nov 23, 2025): Using commercial data to prove the direct link between air quality and respiratory illnesses in Pune. 3. Lifestyle & Wellness News "They didn't let cancer, diabetes and heart disease stop them from travelling" (Dec 22, 2025): A collaborative piece featuring survivors who share practical tips for traveling with chronic conditions. At 17, his BP shot up to 200/120 mmHG; Lancet study flags why child and teen hypertension doubled between 2000 and 2020'' (Nov 12,2025)--A report that focusses on 17-year-old-boy's hypertensive crisis and reflects the rising global trend of high blood pressure among children and adolescents. 4. Scientific Recognition & Infrastructure For promoting sci-comm, gender diversity: IUCAA woman prof highlighted in Nature" (Nov 25, 2025): Covering the global recognition of Indian women scientists in gender studies and physics. Pune researchers find a spiral galaxy like the Milky Way from early universe'' (December 3, 2025)- A report on how Indian researchers discovered a massive galaxy that existed when the universe was just 1.5 billion years old , one of the earliest to have been observed so far. Signature Beat: Health, Science & Women in Leadership Anuradha is known for her COVID-19 reportage, where she was one of the first journalists to provide detailed insights into the Covishield and Covaxin trials. She has a dedicated interest in gender diversity in health and science, often profiling women researchers who are breaking the "leaky pipeline" in STEM fields. Her writing style is scrupulous, often featuring interviews with top-tier scientists and health experts from various institutions. ... Read More

Click here to join Express Pune WhatsApp channel and get a curated list of our stories

Loading Recommendations...

Apr 21: Latest News

Live Blog