In a powerful move to champion the rights of the marginalized, the demand for the full implementation of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act, 2016 reached the floor of the Legislative Council. Dr. Sravan Dasoju has issued a stirring appeal to the Honorable Chief Minister, urging the state to move beyond “paper-thin compliance” and embrace the true spirit of inclusivity.

While the government recently mandated a 5 per cent reservation in higher education—a step Dr. Dasoju acknowledges as a significant stride—he warned that without comprehensive reform, the law remains a “distressing picture” of unfulfilled promises for thousands of families.

“The reality on the ground is heart-wrenching,” Dr. Dasoju stated, pointing to the “pillar to post” struggle parents endure to secure basic legal entitlements. With the law now recognizing 21 categories of disabilities, including autism, chronic neurological conditions, and mental illness, the lack of awareness among educators and a severe shortage of early diagnostic centers have created a “social menace” that leaves the poor and middle class vulnerable to exploitation by expensive private centers.

Raised in the Legislative Council, Dr. Dasoju’s proposal calls for a radical shift in how Telangana supports its citizens with disabilities. He sought mandatory extension of the 5 per cent reservation and financial support to all private and public institutions starting from the primary level, not just higher education.

He also stressed the urgent need to heal the infrastructure gap by establishing government-funded therapeutic centers to provide affordable care to families who are currently being priced out of support. Emphasizing classroom empowerment, he called for the mandatory appointment of trained psychologists and special educators in every school to ensure early identification and intervention.

Dr. Dasoju further urged the government to ensure financial dignity by providing 100 per cent financial concessions and robust scholarship schemes so that no child’s education is cut short by poverty. He also pressed for accountability through the creation of a dedicated Monitoring and Evaluation body at both state and district levels to ensure institutions actually comply with the law.

“Our children are our future,” Dr. Dasoju said, emphasizing that this is not merely an administrative task but a moral imperative for a just and compassionate society. He urged the government to collaborate with professional medical bodies and NGOs to ensure that every child, regardless of their innate disabilities, is empowered to achieve their full potential.

“Every child deserves the chance to thrive,” Dr. Dasoju concluded. “Ensuring they receive equal opportunities is the only way to build a brighter, more equitable future for our state.”

For public awareness, the RPwD Act, 2016 legally recognizes 21 categories of disabilities. These include blindness, low vision, leprosy cured persons, hearing impairment (deaf and hard of hearing), locomotor disability, dwarfism, intellectual disability, mental illness, autism spectrum disorder, cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, chronic neurological conditions such as multiple sclerosis and Parkinson’s disease, specific learning disabilities, speech and language disability, thalassemia, hemophilia, sickle cell disease, multiple disabilities including deaf-blindness, and acid attack victims.

By Dr. Sravan Dasoju, MLC Bharat Rashtra Samithi