1 – This Act may be called the National Trust for Welfare of Persons with Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Mentally Challenged and Multiple Disabilities Act, 1999.It extends to the whole of India except the State of Jammu and Kashmir.

2 – In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires, –

a) “Autism” means a condition of uneven skill development primarily affecting the communication and social abilities of a person, marked by repetitive and ritualistic behaviour;

b) “Board” means Board of trustees constituted under section 3;

c) “Cerebral palsy” means a group of non-progressive conditions of a person characterized by abnormal motor control posture resulting from brain insult or injuries occurring in the Pre-natal, pre-natal or infant period of development;

d) “Chairperson” means the Chairperson of the Board appointed under clause (a) of sub-section (4) of section 3;

e) “Chief Executive Officer” means the Chief Executive Officer appointed under sub-section (I) of section 8;

f)“Member” means a Member of the Board and includes the Chairperson;

g)“mentally challenged” means a condition of arrested or incomplete development of mind of a person which is specially characterized by sub-normality of intelligence;

h) “Multiple disabilities” means a combination of two or more disabilities as defined in clause (i) of section 2 of the Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act, 1995;

i) “Notification” means a notification published in the Official Gazette;

j) “Person with disability” means a person suffering from any of the conditions relating to autism, cerebral palsy, mentally challenged or a combination of any two or more of such conditions and includes a person suffering from severe multiple disability;

k) “Prescribed” means prescribed by rules made under this Act;

l) “Professional” means a person who is having special expertise in a field which would promote the welfare of persons with disability;

m) “Registered organization” means an association of persons with disability or an association of parents of persons with disability or a voluntary organization, as the case may be, registered under section 12;

n) “Regulations” means the regulations made by the Board under this Act;

o) “Severe disability” means disability with eighty per cent. Or more of one or more of multiple disabilities;

p) “Trust” means the National Trust for Welfare of Persons with Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Mentally Challenged and Multiple Disability constituted under sub-section (I) of section 3.