Punjab govt draws flak from chief commissioner on welfare of disabled persons
15 states have appointed independent commissioners, whereas, in Punjab, the office of the state commissioner for persons with disabilities has been given to an IAS officer as additional charge, officer points out
Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities Kamlesh Kumar Pandey, on Thursday, expressed dissatisfaction over the administrative structure and steps being taken in Punjab for welfare of persons with disabilities in the state. The state has 5.62 lakh persons with disabilities.
The Office of the Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities is the apex body for empowerment and welfare of persons with special needs.
Pandey, who reviewed the implementation of welfare measures for persons with disabilities in Punjab, found the state government wanting in strengthening the administrative set-up, regular monitoring and welfare initiatives for the disabled persons.
Pandey added the state government should set up a separate department for empowerment of persons with disabilities as had been done in several states, including Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Odisha.
“The state coordination committee headed by the minister and the state executive committee under the secretary have to be reconstituted every three years and hold meetings every three months, but the government has not been regular in complying with these norms,” he said at a press conference held after discussions with chief secretary, Karan Avtar Singh.
Rakesh Kumar Roy, deputy commissioner for persons with disabilities, Government of India and Kavita Singh, director, social security, Punjab, were among those present.
The chief commissioner added that 15 states had appointed independent commissioners, whereas the office of the state commissioner for person with disabilities was given to an IAS officer as additional charge.
“IAS officer Kumar Rahul who is holding the charge was not even present during the review. I am here in his support and learn that he is on tour,” he said. Kumar Rahul, who is also director, mining, is on an official tour to Telangana with tourism minister Navjot Singh Sidhu.
‘State needs 20,000 special educators’
On special educators for children with special needs, Pandey said Punjab needed at least 20,000, one for each government school, but had only 440 certified special educators across the state. There is also a backlog of 528 in jobs reserved for persons with disabilities in government departments in the state. Punjab has 3% reservation for them in government jobs as mandated by the law.
He also suggested that the state government should set up District Early Intervention Centres (DEIC) for early detection of disability in a child, while in the womb or immediate after delivery.