Handicapped Association holds meet, discusses issues

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 9: A meeting was organized by the representatives of disability organizations. The meeting was convened by the President J&K Handicapped Association Abdul Rashid Bhat, in which various issues were discussed.
In the meeting, it was observed that Government is giving deaf ear to the issues being faced by the persons with disabilities in the J&K. In other States, the persons with disabilities are enjoying equal rights and care from Government but the persons with disabilities in J&K are ignored and discriminated.
While speaking, Bhat said that almost year back, a high level meeting was held with Chief Minister in presence of Minister of Social Welfare, Minister of State for Social Welfare, Secretary Social Welfare Department and other state holders like MD ST/SC/OBC Board and Directors of Jammu and Srinagar, but the important points passed were not implemented. CM had assured of formation of SHG and reservation in MGNREGA for creating livelihood avenues for the disable people, but nothing has been done till date, he added.
He stated that in the next meeting with Governor in presence of Minister of Social Welfare and Chief Secretary and Secretary Social Welfare Department and Commissioner Disabilities with heads of organizations working on disability in J&K. It was decided in the meeting that census of persons with disabilities will be organized so that job creation is ensured for eligible educated persons with disabilities, process for enrolling persons with disabilities will be started for formation of unique identification disability card, all recruiting agencies will adopt the rules of Union Public Service Commission to serve jobs to the educated disable people, J&K Board will be direct to adopt the rules framed by CBSE and the persons with poor disability background will be given BPL and AAY status, Abhinanda Home Trust will be reengineered and admission for non disable people will be stopped, but the meeting so far has been proved an eyewash, Bhat said.
He informed that the important point was that Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act 2016 will passed in assembly, but Government today proved that disability is not in its priority list.
In the meeting, all the members unanimously decided that a protest demonstration will be held on February 26 this year at all district headquarters of J&K and next protest will be organized at Delhi outside PMO in next month.