Staff Reporter
ITANAGAR, 9 Aug: The All Arunachal Pradesh Divyangjan Students’ Union (AAPDSU) on Tuesday sought separate commissioner for persons with disabilities (PwDs), four percent job reservation in govt. jobs, release of monthly pension and special educators in all the schools.
Addressing a press conference here, the union’s general secretary Seema Podo said that the union had placed their demands to the govt. earlier this year for the welfare of the persons with disabilities.
While narrating the plights faced by PwDs in government establishments, Podo sought for a separate commissioner for Divyangjan here in the state stating that “the present commissioner is on a temporary basis and that Arunachal Pradesh is the only state in the country without a separate commissioner.”
Referring to the provision in Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act 2016, she said that with the appointment of a permanent commissioner, issues related to the PwDs will be eased.
The union has also sought advertisement of 4 percent reservation and quota for the disabled persons in all the government run departments as mandated under the act.
Podo also informed that the state government for the past three years has failed to release the Indira Gandhi National Disability pension scheme, which amounts to Rs. 1700 per month. She also claimed that “the central government releases an amount of Rs 300 per month for the disabled under the pension scheme however, till date no beneficiaries have been enrolled in the state.” She further questioned where the pension amount is spent since its not been released to the beneficiaries.
AAPDSU also sought mandatory appointment of special educators in all the schools adding that students belonging to PwDs are suffering for want of educators.
