DDAM cries foul against indifference
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, February 22 2015: The Disabled Development Association Manipur (DDAM) has lamented that the authorities concerned have been holding back loan amounts given to disabled persons under Prime Minister Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP) .

Speaking to media persons at Samurou Kangjeibung today, DDAM general secretary Md Yunus Khan alleged that bank officials have been trying to take bribes from disabled beneficiaries of PMEGP selected by Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) .

Altogether 10 members of DDAM are yet to get their loan amounts.

They applied for loans ranging from Rs 10 lakh to 20 lakh in different trades.

Bank officials have started sending out agents with an intention to cut off certain percentage out of 25 per cent of the loan amounts which is given as grants.

Even as the beneficiaries went to banks, they were told that the managers were out of station, Yunus said.

DDAM executive member Longjam Sanatomba of Naorem Chaprou who is suffering from locomotor disability has been augmenting the family's income by making bamboo and cane craft items like Mora (stools) .

Sanatomba's two elder brothers also suffer from locomotor disability and low vision, and all the three brothers are in the same profession of cane and bamboo craft items.

Even though Sanatomba was included in the list of PMEGP beneficiaries declared July last year, the loan amount has not been given till date.

On being enquired with KVIC, the Commission said that the responsibility of distributing loan amounts lies with banks, Sanatomba said.

Even though it is said that there is 3 per cent reservation for disabled persons, there is no sign of implementing the same regulation.

All disabled persons who suffer from 40 percent disability are eligible for the quota system, Sanatomba said.

Neither ramps have been built in Government schools nor new disability homes set up.

It would be a misplaced notion if someone is thinking that all matters related to differently abled persons should be dealt by Social Welfare Department alone.

DDAM would represent Manipur in the 9th National Cricket Tournament for Disabled 2015 to be held in Jharkhand from March 28 to 30.A residential cricket coaching camp is already underway at Samurou in order to prepare the cricket team for the championship, Sanatomba added.

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