Despite the significant push from rights organisations, the Disability Rights Bill was not taken up in the latest Parliament session.
This Bill, an improvement over the 1995 law, provides a comprehensive definition of disability, more rights, and an increase in the quota from 3 per cent to 5 per cent in Government jobs. The Bill, upon becoming an Act, will come as a shot in the arm for those with disabilities.
Scores of visually-impaired people held a demonstration in the city today demanding a reconsideration of the proposed bill on the rights of persons with disabilities before it is introduced in Parliament.
A delegation lead by SK Rungta, General Secretary of the National Federation of the Blind, also held talks with the Law Minister Kapil Sibal who assured that they would examine the issue and refer the proposed bill to the Attorney General.
The camp was organised by Pt Deendayal Upadhyaya Institute for the Physically Handicapped, Southern Regional Centre, Red Cross and Dakshina Kannada District Administration.
Enthusiasm to vote turned into disappointment for many when they had to return without exercising right of franchise, here on Monday. Reliance of those engaged into election duty on manual rolls at polling booths belied tall claims of Election Commission (EC) going hi-tech. SMS service and toll-free telephone lines for providing voters with information also crashed on the polling day, strengthening the argument from many that the EC proved unequal to the task on this front.
Nilesh Singit, 43, completed his Master’s degree in Literature from Mumbai university in 1993 and a course in information technology soon after, and thought he was ready for the job market. Responses from the initial telephonic interviews too sounded positive. Then he went for the face-to-face rounds.
A cerebral palsy survivor, Singit was rejected by one company after another — for four years. Dejected, he decided to turn entrepreneur. Here again he was repeatedly refused a bank loan, his condition cited as a “big liability.”
While projects worth Rs 1800-crore in the 11th Five-Year Plan meant for the welfare of the physically challenged have not been started yet, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (SJE) has yet again earmarked Rs 3000-crore for new disability projects.
Today press Conference held at press club to announce the induction of next Disability Commissioner. The conference was organized by Helen Keller handicapped Association. The meeting was chaired by Mr. S.S.Vydhyanath, Advocate, Managing Trustee of Vikala Vikasa, working for the definitely abled persons and Member of Helen Keller, Prahlad Desai President Helen Keller, S.P. Nagesh, President, Cricket Association for Blind in India and Prabhu Secretary Helen Keller.
The High Court on Tuesday directed the State government to provide details, within two weeks, pertaining to the steps taken to provide reservation in jobs to the visually impaired, while recruiting staff for Group ‘C’ to ‘F’ categories in the Education department.
The State Commission for Persons with Disabilities asked Utkal University to implement 3% reservation for disabled persons in appointment of teachers, on Tuesday. Accusing the university of ignoring them, disabled persons had moved the commission. Recently, the university announced recruitment to 51 teaching posts.
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