SHILLONG: Irked over the apathy of the state government to implement the 4 per cent job reservation for Persons with Disabilities, the Federation of Persons with Disabilities held a sit-in demonstration on Tuesday and declared that they will continue their agitation on December 19 to press their demands.
The federation comprises of Meghalaya Deaf Association, Khasi Disabilities Association, Garo Hills Association of the Deaf, West Khasi Disabled People Organisation, Meghalaya Liberation Association of Visually Impaired and All Meghalaya Association of Persons with Disabilities.
They held a sit in demonstration at the Additional Secretariat Parking lot in which they tied placards which read, “If our rights have been fully implemented, we would not have been basking in the sun”, “Meghalaya made a reservation policy of 4 per cent to keep us in the dark, for its nothing but sugar-coated”, “The MPSC and DSC has toppled our employment reservation upside down”. Later, the Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) leaders also met the federation members.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, publicity secretary of the federation, Starwin Kharjana said there are a total number of 80 PwDs who are employed in government service while there are many who are rejected as the MPSC relies on calculating the 4 per cent job reservation.
The MPSC calculated the 4 per cent reservation as x = 4 % of (40 % of N) for each community (Khasi-Jaintia and Garo) in which x is the number of posts reserved for PwDs and N is the number of vacancies.
As per a letter sent by the Meghalaya Public Service Commission (MPSC) to the Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities, it stated that the number of posts reserved for PwDs for Khasi-Jaintia and Garo community was worked out by the MPSC.
As for the District Selection Committee (DSC), Kharjana said the posts should not only be reserved for locomotor disability but persons who are visually and hearing impaired, mental disability should also be considered.
He said that the government should also increase the unemployment allowance which they have demanded to be at par with salaries of muster rolls.
As for the government schemes, he said that the benefits meant for the disabled gets diverted to other persons and the PwDs are deprived of getting schemes such as the PMAY schemes in different districts of Thadlaskein, Pyrursla, Mawphlang etc.
Apparently irked that the government is indifferent to the demands of the PwDs, Kharjana said that the federation has urged the fellow PwDs to pool in some funds so that they can approach the High Court to ensure justice of employment to PwDs.
Earlier, speaking at the meeting, Kharjana said that the 4 per cent reservation should not only be in black and white. The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 envisages 4 per cent reservation for PwDs and the federation demanded that the Act should be implemented fairly.
