Postage Benefits for Disabled Persons

Postage Benefits for Disabled Persons

Payment of postage, both inland and foreign, for transmission by post of Blind Literature packets is exempted if sent by surface route only. If packets are to be sent by air, prescribed air mail charges should be paid.

The relevant rule from the Post Office Guide is reproduced below:

Exemption from Postal Fees
1. ‘Blind Literature’ packets are exempted from the payment of postage and also for (i) registration fee
(ii) fee for acknowledgement
(iii) fee for the attested copy of the receipt.
2. Postage free ‘Blind Literature’ packets will be transmitted by surface route only, and if they are to be sent by air, the air mail charge as prescribed for packets has to be paid.

Contents and Conditions of Posting
Papers any kind, periodicals and books printed in Braille or other special type for the use of the blind may be transmitted by post as ‘Blind Literature’ packets provided that they are posted in accordance with the following conditions:

Plates bearing the characters of writing, sound records for the use of the blind, and discs, films, tapes and wires on which spoken message for the blind have been recorded, when sent by, or addressed to, an officially recognised institution for the blind, shall also be treated as
‘Blind Literature’

(a) The packets shall consist only of articles specially impressed as described above for the use of the blind, and shall not contain any communication either in writing or printed in ordinary type, except the title and table of contents of the book or periodical and any key to, or instructions for the use of special type, or any enclosure except a level for the return of the packet.
(b) The packet shall bear on the outside the inscription ‘Literature for the Blind’ and the written or printed name and address of the sender.
(c) The packet shall be posted without a cover, or in cover open at both ends, which can easily be removed for the purpose of examination.
(d) No ‘Blind Literature’ packet may weigh more than 7 kg.
(e) ‘Blind Literature’ packets are subject to the same limits of dimensions as printed papers.

Penalty for Breach of Condition
Should any of the conditions mentioned above be infringed, the packet (unless it is admissible as an ordinary packet) will be charged on delivery with letter or parcel postage, whichever may be less.

Rule 304, 305 and 306 in regard to definition of ‘Blind Literature’ Conditions and Exemption from Postal fees in respect of Foreign postage are the same as prescribed in rule 129 and 130 in regard to Inland Postage. However, the penalty for breach of conditions in respect of foreign postage is specified under rule 307—Penalty for Breach of Conditions:

‘Blind Literature’ packets which contain any note or document having the character of actual and personal correspondance, or which are not made up in such a manner as to admit of easy examination of the contents, or which contain postage stamps, form of pre-payment whether
obliterated or not or paper representing any value, or which infringe any of the foregoing conditions will not be forwarded, but will be returned to the sender and will be charged on delivery with letter or parcel postage at the internal postage rate whichever is applicable. If the sender wishes to report the article after complying with the necessary conditions, he may
do so. It is permissible in such cases to use the original wrapper, but the use of a fresh wrapper is preferable and is recommended.

Air Travel Concessions

Air Travel Concessions

Blind Persons

The Indian Airlines Corporation allows 50 percent concessional fare to blind persons on single journey or single fare round trip journey on all domestic flights. To avail this facility (for blind persons) they have to produce a certificatefrom a medical practitioner. Air Hostess/Steward will look after the blind persons not accompanied by escorts in flight. The Public Relation Officer or the Traffic Officer Incharge at the airport will tender necessary assistance to such infirm passengers at the airport. Escorts are to pay full fare. This concession cannot be combined with any other concessional fare allowed by the Indian Airlines.

Locomotor Disability
Locomotor Disabled persons (80% and above) are allowed following
concessions in Indian Airlines :
(a) 50% of Normal Economy Class INR Fare or Point to Point Fare. Full
Inland Air Travel Tax and Passenger Service Fee applicable.
(b) 50% of INR fare applicable to foreigners resident in India for travel on
Domestic Sectors. Full Inland Air Travel Tax and Passenger Service
Fee applicable.

Railway Benefits for Disabled Persons

CONCESSIONS OFFERED BY THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT TO THE PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES

RAILWAY FARE CONCESSION: Indian Railways has streamlined the scheme of granting railway fare concession to the following four categories of disabled persons:

1. Orthopaedically handicapped/ paraplegic persons who cannot travel without the assistance of an escort,
2. Mentally retarded persons who also need an escort,
3. Completely blind persons travelling alone or with an escort, and
4. Totally deaf & dumb persons (both afflictions together).

The period of validity of the certificate for blind, mentally retarded and deaf & dumb persons has been increased to 5 years to reduce the frequent botheration of renewing their certificates. The proforma of certificates has also been changed to reduce the possibility of any difficulty or harassment in getting concession. The revised certificates, in effect from January 1, 1999, include provision of address of the concerned disabled person and photograph to be attested by the Doctor. Copies of the revised certificates, for the above mentioned four categories of disabled persons, are available for free at stations/reservation offices.

Concession in Railway Fare

SNo	Type of Disablity	Class		Conc.	Remark
1	Orthopaedically handicapped/paraplegic*	First class		75%	Wheeled chair or hand-operated tricycle or perambulator is allowed free of cost.
		Second class		75%
		Sleeper class		75%
		Season Class	First Class	50%
			Second class	50%
2	Completely blind*	First class		75%
		Second class		75%
		Sleeper class		75%
		Season Class	First Class	50%
			Second class	50%
3	Mentally retarded persons*	First class		75%	Mentally Retarded person is permitted to travel by 2-tier A.C. Sleeper on payment of concessional fare for first class and ful l surcharge for 2-tier A.C. Sleeper.)
		Second class		75%
		Sleeper class		75%
		Season Class	First Class	50%
			Second class	50%
4	Totally deaf & dumb persons (both afflictions together)*	First class		50%	Concession for escort not allowed. A deaf & dumb person is permitted to travel by 2-tier A.C. Sleeper on payment of concessional fare for first class and full surcharge for 2-tier A.C. Sleeper)
		Second class		50%
		Sleeper class		50%
		Season Class	First Class	50%
			Second class	50%

*The escort wherever admissible is also entitled to the same extent of concession. All the concessional fares shall be calculated on the basis of the basic railway fare for the journey. No person/party will be allowed more than one concession at one time.

Facility of issue of concessional return ticket will also be available in one month from date of commencement of outward journey.
Free ticket for one escort is available for every two persons in the same class of carriage whether they hold adult ticket or half ticket.
The holder of concession ticket will not be permitted to change the ticket to higher class by paying the difference except in the case of T.B. and Cancer patient, leprosy patient etc.
The break-up journey shall not be allowed on a concession ticket for a specific journey for example students travelling for an examination center, patient travelling to/from a hospital, professor travelling from/to a conference etc. The break journey will be allowed only if it is a natural event.
During break journey, the passenger has to endorse the ticket along with Station Master's initials, date and station code.
Refund of the untravelled person on such tickets will not be allowed.

For more details about the scheme contact Station Master/Dy. Station Superintendent or Chief Commercial Manager. Details also available in the Railway's Tariff, i.e. IRCA Coaching Tariff Part - I (Vol. II), which is available for reference in major stations and can also be purchased from the General Secretary, IRCA, Chelmsford Road, New Delhi.

Orthopaedically Handicapped Person:

All categories of Orthopaedically Handicapped Person/Patients accompanied by escort, when travelling for admission to or on discharge from hospital where the Orthopaedically Handicapped persons are treated or for consultation with edical Expert, can avail the concession. The concession can be availed on production of a certificate from a government doctor or Orthopaedic surgeon that the person is a bonafide Orthopaedically Handicapped person and that he cannot travel without an escort.

Printable format of the Railway concession certificate for Orthopaedically handicapped/paraplegic persons/patients.

Subsidies and Concessions for Disabled Persons

Subsidies and Concessions for Disabled Persons

• Scheme of Subsidy for Purchase of Petrol
Physically handicapped owners of motorized vehicles granted exemption from the payment of
road tax by State Government / Union Territory Administration, are eligible to claim refund
upto 50% of the expenditure incurred by them on purchase of petrol / diesel from recognized
dealers subject to a ceiling as indicated below;
o Vehicle upto 2HP – 15ltr per month
o Vehicle more than 2 HP – 25 its per month
Only physically handicapped persons having an income upto Rs. 2,500/- from all sources
would be eligible for the grant of subsidy on purchase of petrol / diesel. The scheme is
operative through District Welfare Officers or Tehsildar / Equivalent officer.

• Telecommunication (Preference In Allotment of STD booths / PCO)
Educated unemployed disabled persons are eligible for allotment of STD booths / PCOs. The
educational qualification required for the applicants is VIII or Middle School pass from rural
areas and at least Matriculation or High School from urban areas.

• Hotel discounts
India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC) has decided that in all its hotels across the
country, it will offer the following two discounts to people with disabilities:
o 50% on room rent, accompanying person / attendant shall not be charged extra i.e. ITDC
shall charge 50% on single room tariff for double room.
o 30% discount on food on the a-la-carte menu.

They are also taking steps to ensure that all the existing hotels are made accessible and
disabled friendly. Infact, many have already made ramps, like Hotel Kanishka and Ashok
Yatri Niwas in Delhi and the Ashoka Hotel in Bhopal. To be sure, many more hotels may
have already got the ramps made and others too will soon follow.

A decision has also been taken that at least one room in every fifty rooms should be made
accessible and disabled – friendly.

Life Insurance Corporation of India Benefits for Disabled Persons

Life Insurance Corporation of India Benefits for Disabled Persons

JEEVAN VISHWAS
TABLE NO. 136
LIC has introduced a new plan “JEEVAN VISHWAS” for the benefit of the physically /
mentally handicapped dependants.

For the benefit of handicapped dependants “JEEVAN AADHAR” plan was introduced with
effect from 17th January 1996. The plan was specially designed so that an individual or
member of Hindu Undivided Family can take an assurance on his / her own life to provide for
lump sum and an annuity to the handicapped dependant. The provision is in the nature of a
limited payment whole life assurance policy. The payment is made to the nominee under the
policy, who will be either the handicapped dependant or any other person or a trust, to be
utilized for the benefit of the handicapped dependant.

The premiums under Jeevan Aadhar are eligible for tax benefit under Sec. 80DD of Income
Tax Act, 1961. The definition of disability under rule 11A of Income Tax Rules, 1962, for this
purpose is rather stringent in Jeevan Aadhar as such is thus not catering to the needs of
those handicapped dependants whose degree of handicap is lower than the specified levels.

Keeping in mind the guardians of such lives who may be willing to provide for the dependants
even without the benefit under Sec. 80DD of Income Tax Act, it is decided to introduce
JEEVAN VISHWAS with effect from 1st December 1999. While developing the plan, feedback
received from various sources on the benefit structure of Jeevan Aadhar is taken into
account. The plan is Endowment without Profit with guaranteed and loyalty additions.

For further details, you can contact any office of Life Insurance Corporation of India in your
city.

Employees Provident Fund for Disabled Persons

Employees Provident Fund

The Central Government has made amendments in the Employees Pension Scheme, 1995; called employees pension (Amendment) scheme, 1999. According to this scheme “If a member dies leaving behind a family having son or daughter who is permanently and totally disabled, such son or daughter shall be entitled to Payment of monthly children pension or orphan pension, as the case may be, irrespective of age and number of children in the family in addition to the pension provided under clause (d) of sub para 3, Section 6a.

Income Tax Benefits for Disabled Persons

Income Tax Benefits for Disabled Persons

The most significant development is amendment to section 80 DD of the Income Tax Act as
presented in the Union Budget 99-2000 finance bill. Section 80 DD has substituted the earlier
section 80 DD, the assesse of the Hindu Undivided Family (HUF) would be entitled to a deduction of Rs. 40,000 in respect of any expenditure for medical treatment (including nursing), training and rehabilitation of handicapped dependent. If this amount is not spend on the treatment but deposited under any scheme by LIC or UTI for the maintenance of the handicapped children, then also this deduction would be permissible, during the accounting year 2000-2001.

On advocacy by parents having children with mental retardation Shri. D. K. Manavalan vide his
letter no. 1325. SECY (SJ & E) / 99 dated February 16, 1999 to chairman, Central Board of Direct taxes, New Delhi made a request that parents need not submit supporting vouchers on medical bills for having incurred expenditure on medical treatment of their mentally handicapped ward. The Central Board of Direct Taxes vide its letter dated March 26, 1999 issued a clarification that it would be sufficient to furnish a medical certificate from a Government doctor and a declaration in writing duly signed by the assessee certifying the actual amount of expenditure on account of medical treatment including nursing, training and rehabilitation of the disabled dependent, and receipt / acknowledgement of the amount paid or deposited in the specific schemes of LIC or UTI will be sufficient. The circular to the Drawing and Disbursing officers clearly indicated that they need not insist on production of vouchers or medical bills by the employees for having incurred expenditure on medical treatment of their disabled dependent for allowing the deduction under Section 80 DD for the Purpose of computing tax deductable at source.

Income Tax Concessions

The Government of India has recently announced the following additional concessions for
individuals or Hindu Undivided families who have a relative who is physically disabled.

If an assessor who is resident in India, being an individual or Hindu Undivided Family has a
relative who has permanent physical disability and the assessor has, during the previous year,
incurred any expenditure for medical treatment (including nursing), training and rehabilitation of the disabled person, he/she shall be allowed a deduction of Rs.6,000/-. This deduction will not be allowed where the income exceeds Rs. 1,00,000/-

Deduction from the total income of disabled persons under section 80-U of the Income Tax Act
has been raised from Rs. 20,000/- to Rs. 40,000/-

A deduction of Rs. 20,000/ - from the taxable income of the parents or guardians of disabled
children has been allowed, provided this amount is deposited in any approved scheme of LIC,
UTI etc.