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September 28, 2006
Azad Neglecting Disabled in His Native District
Kashmir Observer, 26.09.2006
By: Haq Nawaz Nehru
Doda: Lacking any support from the Ghulam Nabi Azad led Jammu & Kashmir (state, India ) Government, nearly 5000 disabled residents of the Chief Minister's native Doda District have been facing severe hardship. They are deprived of many civil rights and the government has been apathetic towards their demands for many years. Even as the conflict has led to an alarming increase in the number of disabled persons in the backward and hilly District, no survey has been under taken by the State to assess their numbers and needs. The Social Welfare Department of Doda has also failed in this regard.
Farooq Ahmed Thag, District President of J&K Handicaped Welfare Association, disclosed to Kashmir Observer that as per his preliminary data there are presently 5000 disabled persons who have been neglected by the State as well as District administration. Though the State government is making tall claims to have several welfare schemes for the disabled, not a single such scheme has been implemented in Azad's home district. Thag disclosed that the previous government headed by Dr. Farooq Abdullah passed a Disabled Act in July 1998, under the Chairmanship of then-Law Minister late Pyare Lal Handoo. The Act was named as the "Persons with Disabalities" which meant equal Opportunities, protection of rights and full political participation.
But that administration failed to bring out a notification for the implementation of this act. The proceeding CM Mufti Mohammed Sayeed went a few steps further by enhancing the pension of disabled persons from 150 to 300 Rs, which was welcomed by the Association.
It was during the tenure of Mufti Sayeed that in July 2004 a "North Zone Meet" of the National Centre for Promotion of Employment for the Disabled People(NCPEDP) of India was held at Srinagar's Santur Hotel, in which various governmental ministers and Mufti Sayeed himself assured locals that the government would soon clarify all the rules governing this Disabled Act and make whatever modifications were necessary. But nothing has been done so far. Thag further pointed out that, Deputy CM Manget Ram Sharma Ji assured us that a special commissioner for persons with disabilities would be appointed on priority, as laid down in the legislation, but all these promises have been left unfulfilled.
Azad, who has not earned much of a reputation within J&K but is a nationally acclaimed leader after completing one year in office, has done nothing concrete for the welfare of disabled of his home District. Thag was hopeful that Mr. Azad would consider enacting the rules of Disabled Act and also release the funds for 2487 pending disabled persons cases under SSI Scheme and establish an Artificial Limbs centre in District Hospitals of J&K State.
The National Handicaped Finance Development Corporation is willing to provide loans to the handicapped persons on subsidized rates of interest, but the State Financial Corporation Doda, the channelising agent has not shown much interest in submitting loan cases to the NHFDC. Such loan cases would provide the disabled special recruitment opportunities for government jobs, free education until eighteen, pension enhancement, and a regular conveyance allowance.
Source: http://www.kashmirobserver.com/index.php?id=642
Aqeel Qureshi
Posted by jicafriends at September 28, 2006 04:49 PM