Govt focus on welfare of PwDs

BHUBANESWAR: Chief Secretary Aditya Prasad Padhi directed all the Departments to ensure full compliance with the provisions of Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 and make reasonable accommodation in public policies and services, providing support for rehabilitation.

Reviewing implementation of the Act at Secretariat here on Thursday, he asked officials to create a barrier-free environment to end all discrimination against the Persons with Disabilities (PwDs).
Padhi drew the attention of Secretaries to a wide range of statutory rights conferred on the PwDs covering education, skill development, employment in public and private sectors, health, accessibility, security, justice, property, voting, sports, art and culture.He advised all Departments to review their existing programmes and schemes and make modifications in policies to provide support to PwDs as per the statutory requirement.

There should be focus on five per cent reservation in allotment of agricultural land and housing and five per cent reservation in all poverty alleviation and developmental schemes besides another five per cent reservation in allotment of land at concessional rate for housing, business and recreation centres, he said.
“District level committees should be constituted and activated by all Departments for proper implementation of the Act. Retrofitting of Government buildings should be completed at the earliest so that those can be accessible to PwDs in the Capital,” he advised.

The Chief Secretary announced that 10 more towns - Baripada, Balasore, Cuttack, Puri, Berhampur, Rourkela, Sambalpur, Balangir, Jharsuguda and Jeypore have been identified for accessibility audit and retrofitting of Government buildings.

“Besides, all Government websites will also be made accessible to the PwDs. Transportation systems including buses, railway stations, airports and bus stops will be made accessible. Universities/Colleges, Government and aided institutions of Higher Education Department should provide five per cent reservation for persons with benchmark disabilities,” he added.

Directing the Health Department to ensure that Disability Certificates are issued on time and PwDs have access to all health care facilities, including free medicines under Niramaya Scheme, Padhi said Sports and Youth Services Department need to undertake measures to redesign infrastructure facilities to suit the requirements of PwDs.