Minister asks state to set up more schools for disabled

SHILLONG: Union Minister Ramdas Bandu Athawale has asked the state government to set up schools for disabled children and an Assam-like law for protection of the elderly.
Speaking to media persons after holding a review meeting with state officials on different schemes for persons with disabilities on Saturday, the minister of state for social justice and empowerment said the Centre would provide grants to set up government-owned schools for special children.
At present, there are 12 private schools for disabled children in the state.
Athawale said there are 44,370 disabled people in Meghalaya and 2 crore in India.
There are 75 disabled people working in the state government. Athawale asked the government to strictly follow the guidelines of 4 per cent job reservation for persons with disabilities.
The minister was also informed that the state is giving Rs 500 per month to 11,695 people (single mothers and persons with disabilities) under the Chief Minister’s Social Assistance Scheme.
Athawale also urged the government to pass a law to support the elderly while citing example of Assam where the government is deducting 10 per cent salary of their employees if they don’t look after their old parents.
He also pitched for a Parliament Act to pave way for reservations for other economically backward communities but clarified that the existing quotas for SCs, STs and other backward castes should not be tampered with.
“People who deserve the quota are now in general class and not getting the perks of the status,” he said.