Govt bats for disabled commission
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, July 12 2012:
In order to ensure that physically handicapped persons are fully protected and enjoy all their rights and other entitlements without any manipulation or disturbance, the Government is working to set up a full time Disabled Commission.
This was stated by Social Welfare Minister AK Mirabai in response to a call attention motion raised by Dr I Ibohalbi.
AK Mirabai said that the department is putting in maximum efforts to set up a full time Disabled Commission within two/three months.
She said that the department has been providing unemployed disabled allowance, scholarships, maintenance allowance as well as grants to organisations run exclusively by disabled persons.
Disabled persons registered in Employment Exchanges are being given Rs 100 per month if they are matric pass if they are matric passed, Rs 150 for Graduates and Rs 200 for Post Graduates as unemployed allowance.
However, these allowances are given every three/four months together.
Against Rs six lakhs earmarked for unemployment allowance, Rs 15 lakhs have been set aside for the current year 2012-13 .
She also assured that she would look into if the allowance money can be increased.
As per the Census report of 2001, there are 28,376 disabled persons in Manipur.
Out of them 16,269 have been registered in Employment Exchanges.
Asserting that there is no case of manipulation in implementing schemes or swindling of funds which are meant for the disabled persons, the Social Welfare Minister.
Saying that the Disabled Act came into effect from February 7, 1996, Mirabai informed the House that she would examine if the Disabled Certificate can be issued at the district level.
Raising the call attention motion, Dr Ibohalbi complained that disabled persons were not given their allowances in full.
Stating that a large number of disabled persons have been denied their rights while many cases of rape of handicapped women were reported, Dr Ibohalbi questioned if there was any Disability Act or policy for protection of disabled persons, and whether they have been implemented, if yes.
Regarding the three per cent reservation for handicapped persons, Dr Ibohalbi asked if it was for recruitment in Government offices or admission in educational institutions.
He sought the attention of the concerned Minister to raise the allowance of handicapped persons and ensured that the allowance is given regularly in time.