The Madras High Court on Wednesday directed the State government to consider a representation made by the Tamil Nadu Association for the Rights of All Types of Differently Abled and Care Givers (TARATDAC) to provide 75% subsidy to the physically challenged under the Amma Two Wheeler Scheme, besides extending the last date for submitting applications.
Justice K. Ravichandrabaabu issued the direction on a writ petition preferred by TARATDAC secretary S. Namburajan, who pointed out that the government was, at present, providing two-wheelers to working women with 50% subsidy under the scheme, which also provides for 4% reservation for the physically challenged for purchasing retrofitted three-wheelers.
Maximum subsidy ₹25,000
The scheme provides for a maximum subsidy of 50% or ₹25,000, whichever was lesser, the petitioner said and added that the subsidy for the physically challenged should have been ideally increased to 75% in view of Section 24 of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act of 2016, which states that the quantum of assistance to such persons should be 25% more than others.
Further, pointing out that many physically challenged people could not apply for the scheme due to delay in obtaining driving licences, the petitioner association said that the government should also consider extending the deadline so that as many as 4,000 physically challenged people could benefit from it.
