Jobs for disabled still a distant dream?

CHENNAI: “Since time immemorial, persons with disabilities have never been on the receiving end of the reservation they deserve. Though officials say they are providing jobs, I know at least a thousand unemployed PwD. The government also does not put it up in public the number of jobs it has reserved,” said A Kanakaraj, a disability rights activist.

The Rights to Persons with Disabilities Act states that five per cent of the jobs must be reserved for PwDs in private sector. Also, four per cent of jobs in government or public sector are to be reserved for PwDs. However, beneficiaries rue that nothing of that sort is being followed.

“Not even 10 per cent of companies are adhering to this and they are turning away PwDs in interview stating their disability. We are already suffering financially and this discrimination worsens our plight,” said KR Balaji from Mambalam.

S Namburajan, State general secretary of The Tamil Nadu Association for the Rights of All Types of Differently-Abled and Caregivers said, the government has also not adhered to Supreme Court’s order of 2013, stating backlog of vacancies for persons with disabilities. Meanwhile, an official said, “Though provision of five per cent jobs in private sector is still not a law, we are encouraging them to hire PwDs. We are also promoting accessible spaces.”