SHILLONG, JUNE 29: Persons with disabilities (PwDs) in the state today asked the state government to respect their human rights by ensuring the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 is fully implemented at the earliest.
This was expressed by a delegation of the Khasi Disabilities Association (KDA) in a nine-point memorandum submitted to the Social Welfare Minister Kyrmen Shylla requesting for his personal intervention during a meeting held here on Friday.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, KDA president Starwin Kharjana said, “The Rights of PwD Act, 2016 has not yet been fully implemented in the state. We therefore requested the government to respect our human rights by fully implementing the Act.”
Asking the government to implement the 4 percent job reservation for the PwDs as per the Act, he said the government should consider appointment of PwD members in the Meghalaya Public Service Commission and in all the District Selection Committees.
“We have also requested the government to make the identification of post for the PwDs before sending the advertisement to the MPSC and DSCs,” he said.
According to him, though around 80 PwDs are presently working in the different government departments in the state but only 20 who have been newly appointed by the government so far.
Urging the government to speed up the release of the Chief Minister’s Scheme for Social Assistance to PwDs which has been pending from April last year till date, he said that everytime they approach the department, the excuse given was due to non-availability of fund.
Asked, Kharjana informed that the minister has assured the delegation that he would soon convene a meeting with the officials of the different departments to review and discuss on the matter.
The association has also demanded that 5 percent of the special allotment permit for local taxi in all districts for the disabled persons who want to apply for a loan under the National Handicapped Finance Development Corporation Ltd (NHFDC) for setting up business without any restrictions that hinders them from availing it as per the 2016, Act.
It has also asked the government to recognize the PwDs through the Disability certificate of the District Medical Board issued by the government doctors/hospital to help them avail the various grants without including them in the BPL or family income.
“We have also requested the government to increase the unemployment allowance for those disabled persons who have cleared the 10th standard onwards from Rs. 1000 to 3000 in order to enable them to avail the basic necessities of life as per the 2016 Act under chapter V section 24 (a-j),” he said.
The association further requested the government to conduct awareness programme concerning the sports activities for PwDs so as to enable and encourage the talented ones in various fields to participate at par with the abled Persons.
By Our Reporter
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