Govt takes 14 yrs for first review of Disability Act
Strictly implement 3 pc reservation for disabled people, says Minister
Nearly 14 years after the Disability Act was framed in 1995, the State government conducted its first inter-department review meeting on Tuesday.
The implementation of the three per cent reservation for disabled persons seems like a new subject for many departments. Glaringly, some of the major departments like Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) and Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) did not even have a representative at the meeting.
P M Narendra Swamy, the Minister for Department of Women and Child Welfare, also in charge of Disability and Senior Citizen Department, called upon officials of various departments to strictly enforce the three per cent reservation by law in all aspects of the departmental schemes.
“This could be by means of planning buildings with ramps and toilets or even supplying aids and appliances to the disabled,” he said. The Minister said that funds allotted for the disabled are not being utilised effectively by Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) as the Palike is not inviting the disabled persons to avail their rights and benefits.
Bangalore Metropolitan Regional Development Authority was instructed to plan its projects by incorporating utilities for the disabled, including ramps, toilets and separate parking space for the disabled. The Minister also told the Rajiv Gandhi Rural Housing Corporation and Karnataka Housing Board to advertise their housing allotments for the disabled.
G Jayaram, Director, Disabled and Senior Citizens Department, said, “It is not just three per cent reservation for allotment of houses, the disabled also get preferential concession rates during allotment. However, this has not been implemented.”
He added that the State government has not effectively implemented the norms of the disability act in the State. “Ignorance from other department exists as there has been no committee formed to monitor the implementation of this act,” Jayaram stressed.
