More than 1,758 sanctioned posts for people with disabilities in Delhi government, Municipal Corporation and other State departments are lying vacant.
DCW chairperson, Swati Maliwal, has issued notice to the Principal Secretary (Services) for not implementing the reservation policy — three per cent of the total government jobs are to be reserved for differently-abled persons.
The data reveals South Delhi Municipal Corporation as the biggest offender, 345 posts for Group D employees are still lying vacant and DJB is yet to recruit 293 such employees.
DCW intervened after women with disabilities approached the commission and complained of insufficient employment opportunities. “We have been informed by the Office of the Commissioner (Disabilities) that as of date 1,758 posts are lying vacant in various departments of Delhi government which were reserved for differently-abled persons. This is a very serious issue,” Ms. Maliwal wrote in the notice to Principal Secretary (services) Rajendra Kumar. The commission has sought explanation from the government by December 11 over the vacant posts and the reason for no recruitments to date.
Differently-abled people have been protesting against the recruitment policy. Javed Abidi, convener of Disabled Rights Group, claimed though the policy is in place since 1995, not much is done. “There is acute discrimination. Those with mild disabilities are given priority over those with severe disabilities, especially visually impaired and wheelchair bound and aren’t taken in.”
Another activist, Pradeep Raj, general secretary of Association for Disabled People, said that many of the government offices aren’t disable-friendly. He pointed out that to meet the chief minister, Arvind Kejriwal at the Delhi Secretariat, is nothing short of harassment as there are no ramps when one has to get a pass made. “People have to either request the guards or other visitors at the Secretariat to lift their wheel-chair so that their entry pass can be made.”
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