Noida has come a long way from the times when there were only primarily two places to eat out - the Nirula's fast food joint for us and the Noida Golf Course for the elite of the city. But here, my focus is not on the evolution of Noida the city, but on Noida and how barrier free it is. I'm Nipun Malhotra, a resident of Noida for a little over 13 years. I was born with arthrogryposis, a congenital disorder that leads to a lack of muscles in my arms and legs restricting me to a wheelchair.

Census 2011 has revealed that over 21 million people in India are Persons With Disability (PWDs). This is equivalent to 2.1 per cent of the population. However, in India, less than three of PWDs are gainfully employed compared with between one third and one half in the developed world.

However, a disability law is not enough to make a difference in society for persons with disability. Like everyone else, they are stakeholders in the community influenced by each and every policy. We need to gradually move towards a position where each ministry is given guidelines and each law considers both how it impacts persons with disability and how it can help in their emancipation. Let me illustrate.