Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Wednesday (April 16, 2025) tabled two Bills in the Legislative Assembly that seeks to nominate persons with disabilities to local bodies.
In February, he said the State government would introduce legislation to ensure representation of persons with disabilities in local bodies. One Bill introduced on behalf of the Municipal Administration Department sought to give effect to the State government’s decision to nominate persons with disabilities to all town panchayats, municipal councils, and municipal corporations by amending the Tamil Nadu Urban Local Bodies Act, 1998 (Tamil Nadu Act 9 of 1999), suitably.
Another Bill introduced on behalf of Rural Development Department sought to give effect to the government’s decision to nominate one person with disabilities to all village panchayats, panchayat union councils, and district panchayats by amending the Tamil Nadu Panchayats Act, 1994 (Tamil Nadu Act 21 of 1994), suitably.
Prior to introducing the Bills, Mr. Stalin pointed out that at present, out of the elected representatives, there were only 35 PwDs in urban local bodies. “Once the Bills are enacted, about 650 differently abled persons in urban local bodies, 12,913 differently abled persons in village panchayats, 388 differently abled persons in panchayat unions, 37 differently abled persons in district panchayats will be appointed. Their voices will be heard in local governance. That is the biggest benefit,” he pointed out.
“In the Budget for 2025-26, we have announced that a suitable Bill will be passed in the current Assembly session to ensure appropriate representation for persons with disabilities in all types of local government bodies in the State through nomination. I consider introducing these Bills a proud moment in my life,” Mr. Stalin said.
These Bills will pave the way for PwDs’ representation in local bodies and enable them to get equal opportunities and special rights. This is another step in our social justice objective of ‘everything for everyone’, he said.
Mr. Stalin recalled that former Chief Minister Karunanidhi had given him the opportunity to introduce the Bill in the Legislative Assembly to provide 3% internal reservation for Arunthathiyars. “I now stand with the same level of satisfaction that I had when I introduced the Arunthathiyars reservation bill,” Mr. Stalin said.
He said prior to the DMK coming to power, the allocation for welfare of PwDs was ₹667 crore. “In the current fiscal, the allocation is ₹1,432 crore, so we have doubled the allocation,” Mr. Stalin said.
“We have been coming out with schemes for the welfare of differently abled persons not only on compassionate grounds, but also based on their rights. In India, Tamil Nadu provides monthly assistance to the highest number of differently abled persons,” he said.
Through the 4% reservation for PwDs, 1,493 persons have got government jobs in the last four years, Mr. Stalin said, while listing out a slew of welfare measures for the community.
Published – April 16, 2025 05:29 pm IST
