Meghalaya lacks special employment exchange for PWDs
SHILLONG: Meghalaya is among the northeastern states that do not have a special employment exchange for persons with disabilities.
Those who want to enroll their names for employment have to approach the physically handicapped cell at the Divisional Employment Exchange but the rate of placement is too low. Out of the 23 registered with the cell, only one got employment last year, the annual report for 2015-16 of the Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities, which was placed in the State Legislative Assembly on Friday, showed.
Last week, Chief Minister Mukul Sangma said in the Assembly that the Government is committed to addressing the grievances of the differently abled and ensuring 4 per cent reservation of jobs as stipulated by the Centre.
Among the northeastern states, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur and Tripura have special employment exchanges.
The annual report further stated that under the Social Welfare Department, one-year vocational training is imparted to persons with disabilities through voluntary organisations.
During the training, a stipend of Rs 500 per month is given while Rs 800 per month is handed over to the instructor in each trade. A token relief of Rs 5,000 is given to each person after the training for purchase of machinery tools and raw materials to enable them to start their own venture.
In addition, Rs 1,000 is given to each beneficiary as unemployment allowance and there were 61 beneficiaries in 2015-16.
The report also added that persons with disabilities are exempted from examination fees for recruitment conducted by MPSC, besides as per the Right to Education Act, seats in educational institutions have also been reserved for persons with disabilities.
The report further asserted that 249 PWD benefitted from the MGNREGA scheme in 2015-16 followed by 16 under the Indira Awaas Yojana.
A whopping number of 1,505 differently abled persons also benefitted from the Indira Gandhi National Disability Pension Scheme (IGNDPS) besides 121 benefitted from the National Rural Livelihood Mission.
Twelve persons have also benefitted under the Meghalaya Development Authority, Basic Service for Urban Poor (JNNURM) Housing, besides five benefitted from the Integrated Slum Development programme for five notified slums.
Meanwhile, the Government has also issued instructions to reserve at least two seats for the differently abled and to sensitise drivers and conductors, adding that the New Ashok Leyland buses have been provided with ramp for wheelchair users at the door and the device to lock up the wheelchair while travelling.