Disabilities Association demands reservation in govt jobs

SHILLONG: The Khasi Disabilities Association (KDA) has demanded implementation of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) Act, 2016 at the earliest so that the candidates can get reservation in government jobs.
The KDA on Wednesday met Chief Minister Conrad Sangma to push forward their demand for implementation of the Act.
Speaking to reporters after meeting the chief minister, KDA assistant general secretary, Michael Thongni, said, “We expect the state government to expedite the implementation of the Act to ensure that the rights of the PwDs are protected.”
Stressing on the need to reserve jobs for PwDs, he said implementation of the Act will ensure a career path for more than 44,000 PwDs in the state. PwDs as most of them are usually not employed in government offices. 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.
He said that the chief minister assured to speed up the process after the draft of the Meghalaya Rights to Persons with Disabilities is ready. Earlier, the association has urged the government to increase the unemployment allowance for those disabled persons who have cleared the 10th standard onwards from Rs 1000 to Rs 3000.