The right to more than a room and roof
The Odisha government has introduced new guidelines to protect the property and inheritance rights of persons with disabilities (PwDs). This move follows years of advocacy by individuals like Balunkeswar Paikray, who faced systemic discrimination in property disputes.
Why it matters
This policy change represents a significant step toward social justice and legal protection for vulnerable populations in India.
For 35 years, Balunkeswar Paikray has travelled hundreds of kilometres, knocked on the doors of every authority he could think of. He even reachedout to the Prime Minister of India, and, touched the feet of local government officials in the hope that someone would listen. The 55-year-old visually impaired man in Odisha’s Khordha district, says, “I am not asking for charity. I am fighting for a rightful share in my ancestral property.”
Paikray says his share among the three siblings would amount to 40,000 square feet of paternal property in Khordha’s Kadab village. “Now, I live in less than 300 square feet,” he says, of his room, bathroom, and backyard.
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