SHILLONG: Irked by the State government’s apathy towards the demands of differently abled persons, the Khasi Disabilities Association (KDA) has threatened to intensify agitation in January next.
Starwin Kharjana, president, KDA during a sit-in demonstration here on Thursday said that if the government remained a mute spectator to the struggles of differently abled people, the association will have no other option than to agitate.
Alleging disparity in disbursement of schemes in rural, urban and sub- urban areas, Kharjana said, “Distribution of schemes is very irregular, and we get them only twice or thrice in a year. Only people residing in urban and sub urban areas are getting the benefits whereas rural people are deprived of initiatives like the CM’s social assistance scheme.”
Kharjana said that they had waited for one year for the government to act, and hence took the step for sit-in demonstration.
“We met the Chief Minister and Minister of Social Welfare, Deborah Marak, Principal Secretary and Director of Social Welfare, besides the Commissioner for persons with disabilities, who said they will take up the matter, but they made only hollow promises,” he added.
Kharjana added that the association will not issue any deadline as they had approached the State government several times to address the plight of differently abled people, but in vain.
“Our demands range from employment for differently abled persons, implementation of the order of Supreme Court to employ differently abled persons, to appoint a member at the State Co-ordination Committee, and help those who are trying to avail loan from National Handicap Finance Development Corporation to implement the IAY scheme,” he said.
Kharjana said last year after approaching the officials of the State government with regard to the IAY scheme for 2015-16, the government directed them to send the list of beneficiaries of scheme.
“We received a letter from the BDO Pynursla, stating that the people do not possess job cards under MGNREGS whereas the people are in possession of job cards, which shows that the BDO does not want to release the scheme.”
In terms of IAY scheme, most blocks do not release the scheme except the Mylliem Block, he added.
Kharjana also urged the State government to give special allocation to differently abled persons in educational institutions.
“In 2014, a differently abled person enrolled himself at Government Boys’ HS School for class XI but they denied him admission. It showed that the authorities did not adhere to the norms that the students with disabilities have to get the same education as that of the mainstream students. Later, the school admitted him.
Citing another alleged discrimination by the school, he added, “This year we sent two boys to the same school, and the school authorities said that the matter will be examined as to whether the differently abled students will be enrolled or not. This shows that the differently abled people cannot continue their studies.”
The association demanded that the State government should allot special seats for training within and outside the state, so that after training, the differently abled persons can start self employment ventures.
“We also urge the state government to release the Chief Minister’s wedding assistance scheme for differently abled after verifying the disability certificates. The state government should recognize us from our disability certificates and not looking at the riches of our families,” Kharjana asserted.
The state has 43,000 differently abled people.
