SHILLONG: A delegation of Khasi Disabilities Association (KDA) met the Chief Minister Conrad Sangma to push for the implementation of Rights of Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) Act, 2016.
Speaking to reporters after meeting the CM, assistant general secretary of KDA Michael Thongni said, “We expect the state government to expedite the implementation of the Act which will ensure that the rights of PWDs are protected.”
Stressing on the employability of PWDs, he said that the implementation of the Act would ensure a career path for the PWDs as most of them are usually not employed in government offices even as 4 per cent reservation is mentioned in the Act.
Section 34 (1) of the Act states that every appropriate Government shall appoint in every Government establishment, not less than four per cent of the total number of vacancies in the cadre strength in each group of posts meant to be filled with persons with benchmark disabilities of which, one per cent each shall be reserved for persons with benchmark disabilities under clauses (a), (b) and (c) and one per cent.
Thongni informed that Sangma assured to speed up the process since the draft of Meghalaya Rights to Persons with Disabilities is also being prepared. Thongni informed that there are more than 44, 000 PWDs in the state.
