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The International Day of Disabled persons is observed on December 3. The figures are debatable since the proportion of disabled people in India vary from the official figure of two per cent to alternative estimates of four to eight per cent. "It depends on the definition that you give to the term "disability", Philip O'Keefe, lead social protection specialist of the World Bank based in New Delhi, explained.
A recent World Bank report, "People with disabilities in India: from commitments to outcomes", showed that in India the employment rate of these people has decreased from 42.7 per cent in the early 1990s to 37.6 per cent in the early 2000s. Only 0.44 per cent of the posts in the public sector are filled by these people".
"Reports show that a disabled employee has an extremely good performance rate," claims Gupta (37), who doesn't understand why so many disabled people have to rely on charity or beg in the street to make ends meet.
Gupta has been awarded for her commitment for disabled people. She met with a car accident when she was 22 and is still in a wheelchair: "It has been a long struggle," she said. She dedicates her time to run Access Ability organisation, helping people with disability.
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