Mental Retardation and Multiple Disabilities is a statutory body under The National Trust for the
      Welfare of Persons with Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Mental Retardation and Multiple Disabilities
      Act, 1999. The main objectives of the Trust are to enable and empower persons with these
      disabilities to live independently as fully as possible, to extend support to registered
      organisations providing need-based services and to evolve procedure for appointment of legal
      guardians for persons with disabilities requiring such protection.
      Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities
            The Chief Commissioner is an important statutory functionary, appointed under Section 57
      of the Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation)
      Act, 1995. The functions and duties of the Chief commissioner include: coordinating the work of
      state commissioners for persons with disabilities, monitoring of utilisation of funds disbursed by
      the central government, taking steps to safeguard rights and facilities made available to persons
      with disabilities and also to look into complaints with respect to deprivation of rights of persons
      with disabilities. The Chief Commissioner can also take suo moto notice of non-implementation
      of any rule, law, etc., meant for persons with disabilities and is vested with the powers of a civil
      court relating to summoning of witness, discovery, requistioning and production of any
      document, etc.
      Rehabilitation Council
            The Rehabilitation Council of India is a statutory body set up under the Rehabilitation
      Council of India Act, 1992. The Council is responsible for regulating the training policies and
      programmes for various categories of professionals in the area of rehabilitation and special
      education. Its functions include: (i) standardisation and regulation of training courses at different
      levels in all the training institutions throughout the country, (ii) recognition of
      institutions/universities running training courses in the area of rehabilitation of the disabled
      within and outside the country on a reciprocal basis, (iii) promotion of research in rehabilitation
      and special education (iv) maintenance of a central rehabilitation register for professionals
      possessing the recognised rehabilitation qualifications in the area of rehabilitation and (v)
      encouragement of continuing rehabilitation education programmes in collaboration with
      organisations working in the area of disability.
      Relevant Website: www.rehabcouncil.nic.in
      National Institutes
            In order to effectively deal with the multi-dimensional problem of the disabled population,
      the following national institutes/apex level institutes have been set-up in each major area of
      disability; (i) National Institute for the Visually Handicapped, Dehradun, (ii) National Institute
      for Orthopaedically Handicapped, Kolkata, (iii) Ali Yavar Jung National Institute for the Hearing
      Handicapped, Mumbai, (iv) National Institute for the Mentally Handicapped, Secunderabad, (v)
      National Institute of Rehabilitaion Training and Research, Cuttack, (vi), Institute for the
      Physically Handicapped, New Delhi, (vii) National Institute for Empowerment of Persons with
      Multiple Disabilities, Chennai. These institutes are mainly responsible for conducting innovative
      researches, organise training programmes for manpower development and deliver services in the
      country. Artificial Limbs Manufacturing Corporation of India (ALIMCO), Kanpur is a public
      sector body, engaged in manufacturing of aids and appliances for persons with disabilities. The
      products manufactured by the Corporation conform to ISI standards approved by the Bureau of