DMK demands separate quota for differently-abled in civic elections

CHENNAI: Urging the State government to provide five per cent reservation for the differently-abled in local body elections so that they can raise their issues with government, DMK on Wednesday underscored the need for reviving the scheme for rehabilitation of beggars, initiated during the first tenure of the late Chief Minister M Karunanidhi five decades ago. 

Participating in the discussion on the demands for grants for social welfare department, DMK MLA PK Sekar Babu said there was reservation for SCs/STs and women in local bodies.  “If the differently-abled too get reservation, it will become a booster for them in fighting for their rights. The chief minister should consider this soon. 

He said the rehabilitation centre started near Chennai on 9.5 acres to provide employment to beggars to earn an honourable livelihood. Now, the centre had almost been closed.  The authorities at this centre said the police department did not send beggars to the rehabilitation centre.  “Everyone knows that at every traffic signal and at temple entrance, beggars are there till now.  If the social welfare minister agrees, we will go to the rehabilitation centre and devise plans for reviving this scheme for the benefit of beggars,” he said.  

Intervening, Social Welfare Minister V Saroja said, “Only those who beg for alms alone can be categorised as beggars and all those living on the streets cannot be called beggars. Police personnel take such persons into their custody and produce them before the court; only after the courts decide them as beggars they can be categorised so and could be sent to rehabilitation centres. A special purpose vehicle has been created to examine how this 9.5 acres allocated for rehabilitation of beggars could be used.”

The DMK member also said the meeting of the welfare board for differently-abled had not been convened for the past two years.  The last meeting was held on August 17, 2017.  Besides, the meeting of the State advisory committee for the differently-abled welfare had not been convened after May 22, 2018. 

The minister said after the Vellore Lok Sabha elections, both meetings will be convened. Sekar Babu also demanded that there had been numerous applications from girls belonging to poor families seeking gold for making ‘thirumangalyam’ and irrespective of the ceiling for the number of applicants every year, the government should come forward to help all. 

RS polls: 4th candidate withdraws from fight 
Chennai: Following the acceptance of the nomination of MDMK general secretary Vaiko for the Rajya Sabha elections, the fourth nominee of DMK, NR Elango withdrew his papers on Wednesday thus paving the way for the election of two AIADMK nominees - N Chandrasekaran and A Muhammathjohn, DMK nominees - M Shanmugam and P Wilson, PMK candidate-Anbumani Ramadoss and MDMK’s Vaiko, unopposed