Dr Jitendra announces relaxation in transfer policy for employees with disabled children

Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh, flanked by specially-abled cricket players of India and Pakistan, during Indo-Pak T-20 cricket series for physically challenged, at New Delhi on Friday.
Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh, flanked by specially-abled cricket players of India and Pakistan, during Indo-Pak T-20 cricket series for physically challenged, at New Delhi on Friday.

Excelsior Correspondent
NEW DELHI, Dec 4: As a path-breaking new initiative, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh today announced that the transfer policy had been relaxed in case of Government employees who happened to be the parents or care-givers of a disabled child. It is his firm belief, he said, that if given the optimum support, a specially abled or disabled youth has the capacity to perform not only equal to his other peers but sometimes, even better than them. Keeping this in mind, he said, the Department of Personnel & Training (DoPT) had taken the decision that parents of such children would be exempted from routine exercise of transfer in Government service.
Dr Jitendra Singh was speaking after inaugurating T-20 series cricket match between India and Pakistan teams comprising of specially abled or physically challenged players from both sides. The series is being held in connection with the “World Disability Day”.
Elaborating further, Dr Jitendra Singh said, initially, the Narendra Modi Government provided this relaxation in case of employees who were care-givers of a child with certain disabilities like blindness or low vision, hearing impairment, locomotor disability, cerebral palsy, mental retardation, multiple disabilities and autism, but a recent proposal put up few days back, seeks to include two more conditions namely, thalassaemia and hemophilia in this category.
Dr Jitendra Singh said, another major decision taken by the Government with regard to Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) is to provide hi-tech latest technology devices including low-vision aids, hearing aids, special furniture, wheelchairs, software scanners and other necessary hardware to those of the employees who are already in the Government service. For those of the disabled youth who are not in Government service, a special recruitment drive has been launched from 22nd May this year to fill up vacancies by February 2016, he added.
Dr Jitendra Singh also informed that there is an age relaxation of ten years in upper age limit for the persons with disabilities to apply for jobs to all the posts under Central Government subject to the condition that upper age limit shall not exceed 56 years. In addition, 3% reservation of vacancies for direct recruitment is applicable to Group A, B, C & D and similarly 3% reservation of vacancies is also available for promotion applicable to Group C & D, he added.