Disability Rights Association of Goa

Goa's first Disabled Persons Organization working for 22 years to mainstream persons with disability.

[Disability Rights Association of Goa @goadisability]

@PrakashWKamatPK And what about statistics from kushavati district??

[Prakash W. Kamat @PrakashWKamatPK]

Goa Education Dept @DOE_GOA @Goa_edu does not have data /records of employees with Disability working in the education sector of the State. @goadisability says this is a matter of great concern.
@discommgoa @MSJEGOI @nagvekarvishant

[Disability Rights Association of Goa @goadisability]

Overloading of contractor vehicles and endangering lives of innoncent people is a serious offence. Where is seriousness of our govt??? How these contractors are getting away Scott free.. criminal charges should be put against them for endangering Human lives.
https://t.co/VttiBozBc3
@SPTrafficGoa @spnorthgoa @DGP_Goa @Coll_NorthGoa @MauvinGodinho @DrPramodPSawant @MORTHRoadSafety @goacm @discommgoa @TOIGoaNews
@InGoa24x7 @prudentgoa @PrakashWKamatPK @RajVaidyaGoa @bhaangarbhuin @GomantakDainik

[Prakash W. Kamat @PrakashWKamatPK]

Vishant Nagvekar @nagvekarvishant, a person with Disability and a Member, Goa State Advisory Board on Disability has formally lodged a complaint to Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disability, New Delhi, @Office_of_CCPD, Maharashtra State Disability Commissioner @disabilitycomm and Goa State Disability Commissioner @discommgoa
complaining against openly discriminatory, illegal and unconstitutional restriction imposed upon Persons with Disabilities by “TAP Resto Bar”, Mumbai.

In his complaint Mr. Nagvekar has inter alia stayed that this case was a matter involving grave public safety concerns, unlawful discrimination, exclusionary practices and denial of equal access to persons with disabilities by a commercial establishment operating in Mumbai and therefore, he has brought to the attention of the concerned authorities for immediate intervention, investigation and strict legal action.

He further stated that it has come to notice that a public-facing signboard displayed at the establishment operating under the name “TAP Resto Bar” contains the following shocking, discriminatory and unlawful condition:

“PHYSICALLY DISABLED & INJURED PERSON NOT ALLOWED DUE TO SAFETY REASONS”

The aforesaid condition is not merely offensive and discriminatory, but constitutes an alarming public admission by the establishment itself that the premises are allegedly unsafe for a section of the public, namely persons with disabilities. Such a declaration by a licensed commercial establishment raises extremely serious concerns regarding public safety compliance, accessibility standards, emergency preparedness, evacuation capability and the legality of permissions granted for operation of the premises.

The issue involved herein is, therefore, not confined merely to discrimination against persons with disabilities, but extends to the larger and more serious question as to whether the establishment is structurally, operationally and legally safe for occupation by the general public itself.

If the premises are genuinely unsafe for persons with disabilities, injured individuals or persons with reduced mobility during emergency situations, evacuation requirements or public occupancy, then a serious and unavoidable question arises as to how the establishment has been permitted to commercially operate as a public venue at all.

A commercial establishment operating under public licenses and permissions cannot legally evade statutory accessibility and safety obligations by simply excluding persons with disabilities from entry. The law mandates inclusion, accessibility, reasonable accommodation and safe access — not exclusion under the guise of “safety reasons”, stated the complainant seeking immediate action against the commercial establishment.
@MSJEGOI
@MahaChiefSec @rajeshaggarwal
@sgr_ray
@goadisability @tahahaaziq @the_quantumjump @abhimurugkar @amarjain2006 @rahul400 @Sugamyata @drsitu @GaureeM_TOI @Shahinlambe86

[Prakash W. Kamat @PrakashWKamatPK]

Good initiative Law College, Margao, Goa students. Please follow up till authorities concerned act on your representation. To address these concerns they have to be woken up first. So, also address a copy to Goa State Disability Commissioner @discommgoa @grpawaskar . Otherwise nothing will move except time....
@goadisability @UlhasTuenkar @KadambaLimited @MauvinGodinho @prabhakartimble @VijaiSardesai

[Disability Rights Association of Goa @goadisability]

and entrepreneurship at easy rates and without cumbersome procedures and conditions. Please encourage youth in Disability community to start and run their enterprises with liberal financial support. That will be true inclusive banking. I appeal to SLBC under SBI to Make Goa a Model Inclusive Banking State. @OfficialSBICare @goacm @RBI @nsitharaman @FinMinIndia @PrakashWKamatPK @DrPramodPSawant @RohanKhaunte @SubhashGoa @BJP4Goa @RajVaidyaGoa @ritzvaigankar @nagvekarvishant

[Disability Rights Association of Goa @goadisability]

We Goa's Disability sector would like to bring to the notice of SLBC, Goa that inclusive banking in Goa must review the poor credit disbursal for disability community by banks and take fresh initiative to focus on giving credit to Disability community for housing and

[Prakash W. Kamat @PrakashWKamatPK]

The 133rd State Level Bankers’ Committee (SLBC) meeting
led by Lead Bank SBI(@TheOfficialSBI) for Goa, for the quarter ended March 2026 in Panaji. The meeting will bring together senior representatives from banks, financial institutions and Government departments to review key developments in the banking and financial sector across the State.

The session will focus on assessing the performance of the banking sector in Goa and reviewing the progress of various financial inclusion initiatives being implemented across urban and rural areas. Key areas of discussion will include banking outreach, financial literacy, rural access to banking services, priority sector lending and implementation of Government-supported financial schemes.

In line with ongoing efforts to strengthen inclusive economic growth and expand access to institutional banking services, the meeting is also expected to deliberate on issues related to credit accessibility, support for MSMEs, self-help groups, entrepreneurs and other sectors contributing to the State’s economic development. The discussions will further aim to strengthen coordination between banks and Government departments for effective implementation of financial initiatives.

Social security initiatives and various financial and welfare schemes linked to the banking sector will also form part of the agenda. The programme will review measures aimed at enhancing financial awareness, improving accessibility to banking services and extending the benefits of Government-supported schemes to a wider section of society.

The meeting will be attended by Chief Minister Dr. Pramod Sawant @DrPramodPSawant Dr. V. Candavelou, IAS pra, Chief Secretary, Government of Goa; Shri Prabhakar Jha, Regional Director, Reserve Bank of India @RBI, Goa; senior officials of SBI, NABARD @NABARDOnline
, banks, financial institutions, and Government departments.
...
We Goa's Disability sector would like to bring to the notice of SLBC, Goa that inclusive banking in Goa must review the poor credit disbursal for disability community by banks and take fresh initiative to focus on giving credit to Disability community for housing and entrepreneurship at easy rates and without cumbersome procedures and conditions. Please encourage youth in Disability community to start and run their enterprises with liberal financial support. That will be true inclusive banking. I appeal to SLBC under SBI to Make Goa a Model Inclusive Banking State.
--Prakash W Kamat,Member, State Advisory Board on Disability,Goa.
9422443093.
@discommgoa @goadisability @GoaHemophilia @nagvekarvishant @ritzvaigankar @FadteAkshay @VijaiSardesai @RohanKhaunte @Sugamyata @tahahaaziq

[Disability Rights Association of Goa @goadisability]

Shameful isn't it @RBI @nsitharamanoffc @nsitharaman @FinMinIndia @PMOIndia @rashtrapatibhvn @SEBI_India that financial inclusion of persons with disability in only on paper ever after 10 years of Disability Act 2016 @PrakashWKamatPK @TukaramGaonkar4 @armanaly @Sugamyata

[Prakash W. Kamat @PrakashWKamatPK]

Persons with visual impairement say...we regularly see an annexure titled Accessibility Standards for The Banking Sector issued by the RBI @RBI @RBIsays with various circulars of various banks to ensure physical infrastructure of branches and ATMs, provision of magnifying glass, height of tables, etc., addressed to the Facilities & Premises Dept. There's a committee formed based on these guidelines.
However, unfortunately they have not seen any kind of circulars or policies for making digital infrastructure accessible for persons with disabilities yet.
- Our experience in Goa is that even the Guidelines of physical infrastructure accessibility ofbthe RBI also are ONLY in their files and circulars. They do NOT have any mechanism to ensure those or monitor the implementation by the banks.
@discommgoa @drag_org @goadisability @armanaly @Sugamyata @abhimurugkar @MahaChiefSec @rajeshaggarwal @MSJEGOI @Office_of_CCPD @Amarpawar29 @amarjain2006 @nistula @sardesairajdeep @ThePuneMirror

[Prakash W. Kamat @PrakashWKamatPK]

GOA ACCESSIBILITY INITIATIVE: A Report Card on Public Sanitation
The Reality: A State-Wide Emergency
Goa is world-renowned for its beauty, but for 8% of our population, the state is filled with invisible barriers. According to the Disability Rights Association of Goa (DRAG), there is a massive shortage of accessible public toilets. This isn't just an inconvenience—it’s a violation of human dignity.
The Legal Fact: 9 Years of Non-Compliance
The Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act, 2016 isn't a suggestion; it’s the law. It mandates that all public buildings be accessible. We are now in 2026, yet for nine years, these rights have been ignored.
"Budget exists. Progress is zero. Independence is still denied."
The Barriers We Must Break
Accessibility requires specific technical standards, not just a sticker on a door. To be truly inclusive, Goa needs:
Functional Ramps: A single step is a wall to a wheelchair user.
Wide Doors: Standard stalls are too narrow for equipment to enter.
Grab Bars: Essential for safety, stability, and independent use.
Turning Space: Sufficient room for a 180-degree turn inside the facility.
The Call to Action
We call upon the Government of Goa and local Panchayats to:
Conduct an Immediate Audit of all public toilets, especially at beaches and transit hubs.
Enforce RPwD Act Penalties for officials and contractors who fail to meet accessibility mandates.
Prioritize Inclusive Design in all new infrastructure projects.
True progress is inclusive. Let's make Goa accessible for everyone.
#AccessibleGoaNow #DisabilityRights #Goa #InclusionMatters #RPwDAct2016.
@Sugamyata @discommgoa @goadisability @tahahaaziq

[Prakash W. Kamat @PrakashWKamatPK]

At the exciting Bhurgyanchem Fest (Children Festival) at the initiative of Principal Fr. Pio Furtado and
@goenchofestakar &team at Fr. Angel High School,Pilar Goa today, @goadisability president @avelinodesa informally inaugurated ramp at the Fest hall. Thank you Fr. Pio Furtado for this step towards accessibility.🙏♥️
@discommgoa @tahahaaziq

[Prakash W. Kamat @PrakashWKamatPK]

Lif Insurance is a product which the people with Disability need very much but either insurance companies do not touch this segment or what product they give for PswD becomes unaffordable...
@Sugamyata @MSJEGOI @abhimurugkar @goadisability @discommgoa @tahahaaziq

[Prakash W. Kamat @PrakashWKamatPK]

Thanks @Navhind_Times,
thanks Padmavati Prabhu for this wonderful awareness article on Autism. Awareness is the first step towards inclusion, acceptance by the society for the larger cause of their education, accessibility, justice through equal opportunity and empowerment..A hand of empathy and understanding to these kids, adults and the parents means a lot in their brought up. That is what an inclusive society does🙏❤️
@Shahinlambe86 @goadisability @discommgoa @Autism @AutismSociety @GoaHemophilia

[Prakash W. Kamat @PrakashWKamatPK]

The Goa Sports Council of the Deaf extended a grand welcome to the victorious Goa team at the Table Tennis Championship for the Deaf held in Chandigarh, upon their arrival at Margao Railway Station.
Congratulations team Goa.
@goadisability @discommgoa

[Prakash W. Kamat @PrakashWKamatPK]

Goa's women with Disability show the way to empowerment...🙏❤️
@i_am_frederika @goadisability

[Prakash W. Kamat @PrakashWKamatPK]

https://t.co/9dDw49u1JH
Please spread this awareness post from @SPCyberGoa on all SM platforms. Awareness among various sections of the society about cybercrime is the first step to curb this crime from affecting people, especially among vulnerable sections like senior citizens, persons with disability...
Goa Cyber police with its Cyberyodha initiative is doing a marvelous job. Lage Raho @RahulGuptaIPS & team.
@Goa_Police
@DGP_Goa @Coll_SouthGoa @Coll_NorthGoa @EgnaCleetus

[Disability Rights Association of Goa @goadisability]

@PrakashWKamatPK Is the library accessible for persons with disability?? @Coll_SouthGoa @mopr_goi @RajVaidyaGoa @goacm @MauvinGodinho

[HANDICARE @handicareindia]

Curious about the intent behind installing guiding and warning tiles inside this lecture hall.
In this setting, they seem more hazardous than helpful for visually impaired individuals.
@socialpwds @DisabledWorld @ncpedp_india
#Disability #disabilityawareness #accessibility

[The National Trust @NationalTrust99]

📢 National Webinar on Niramaya Health Insurance

🗓 18 Feb 2026 | ⏰ 10–11 AM
Know about:
✔️ Registration/Renewal (FY 2026–27)
✔️ Claim Process
✔️ Practical Demo & Live Q&A
📝 Register: https://t.co/hP38EaQO8r
🔗 Join: https://t.co/ycUeDGydHB

[Prakash W. Kamat @PrakashWKamatPK]

Eco-friendly holi....Your support to the economic activity of the adults with intellectual disability in Goa.
@goadisability @GoaHemophilia @alokikgoa @RajVaidyaGoa

[Disability Rights Association of Goa @goadisability]

@MudrasRajesh @discommgoa Will send you the manufacturer number by whatsapp. Its a central government scheme by @ALIMCOHQ not State government so his state must also be giving. Can visit their website