Punjab Focuses on Accessibility of Government Schemes for Persons with Disabilities
Chandigarh, January 11
A high-level meeting of the Punjab State Advisory Board, chaired by Social Security, Women and Child Development Minister Dr. Baljit Kaur, was held at Punjab Bhawan to improve accessibility of government schemes for persons with disabilities (Divyangjan).
Key directives issued during the meeting include:
- Barrier-free government buildings: Dr. Kaur ordered the preparation of proposals to make all government buildings barrier-free within three years and directed the completion of pending work on 144 government buildings in 10 districts under the SIPDA scheme within the stipulated timeframe. A five-member district-level committee, led by the Deputy Commissioner, will monitor progress.
- Protection of reservation benefits: Strict implementation of the RPWD Act, 2016, to protect reservation benefits for persons with disabilities was emphasized. A detailed report on the benefits provided under these provisions will be presented at the next board meeting.
- Expedited UDID card processing: The Health and Family Welfare Department was instructed to resolve all pending Unique Disability Identity (UDID) card applications within one month and present a comprehensive proposal at the next meeting to address challenges in obtaining these cards. Civil Surgeons will organize special camps to resolve discrepancies in disability percentages and other UDID card-related issues.
- Prioritized support for disabled athletes: The Sports Department highlighted benefits and incentives provided under the Punjab Sports Policy 2023. Dr. Kaur directed the department to prioritize resolving grading issues faced by disabled athletes.
- Employment and training initiatives: To improve the living standards of persons with disabilities, the board will collaborate with NGOs to identify individuals interested in vocational training. The Employment Generation and Skill Development Department will organize special camps for this purpose. Dr. Kaur encouraged individuals to register at the Special Employment Exchange at the Deputy Commissioner’s office in Ludhiana to access related government schemes.
- Land and housing provisions: The Urban Development and Rural Development Departments were directed to prioritize providing agricultural land and housing to persons with disabilities under Section 37 of the RPWD Act and ensure effective dissemination of information about these schemes.
- Grievance redressal officers: Departments were instructed to appoint grievance redressal officers for persons with disabilities, as per the Social Security Department’s notification, and to publish their contact details on departmental websites.
- Addressing backlog vacancies: Dr. Kaur informed the board that a special campaign identified backlog vacancies for persons with disabilities last year. So far, 21 departments have sent requisitions to the Punjab Subordinate Services Selection Board and the Punjab Public Service Commission to fill these positions.
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Dr. Kaur affirmed the Punjab government’s commitment, under Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann’s leadership, to the welfare of persons with disabilities.
