By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: Irked with the non extension of the Chief Minister’s Special Assistance Scheme to all persons with disabilities (PWDs) in the State, the Khasi Disabilities Association (KDA) on Monday issued a two-week deadline to the State Government to comply with their demands.
Addressing newsmen here in the city on Monday, KDA president Starwin Kharjana said the Association would be compelled to call a protest march to the State Secretariat if the State Government fails to meet its demands.
He asserted that the scheme is being partially implemented by selecting 150 PWDs from each block in the State, while there are around 28,000 PWDs in the State as per the 2001 Census.
“If the scheme is implemented in this way, out of 28,000 only 6000 PWDs are going to benefit from this scheme while the rest will remain deprived,” he told reporters.
According to the KDA, the State Government should enhance the unemployment allowance from Rs 500 to Rs 5500 if it cannot provide employment to the PWDs.
The Association also asserted that the State Government is yet to implement the 3 per cent job reservation for the PWDs.
“Despite the government providing a list of 31 posts in different departments eligible for the PWDs to apply, the same has not been implemented till date,” Kharjana said.