Chandigarh: Centre dodges MP Manish Tewari’s question on Group Home staff shortage

This was revealed by the Centre in response to a question raised by MP Manish Tewari in the Parliament where the ministry offered only partial information and no accountability.

Chandigarh Despite spending over ₹1 crore in the financial year 2024–25 on the Group Home for persons with disabilities, the ministry of home affairs (MHA) has failed to fix any responsibility for the inordinate delays in staffing and operationalising the facility in Chandigarh.

MP Manish Tewari raised the question in the Parliament. (HT File)

This was revealed by the Centre in response to a question raised by MP Manish Tewari in the Parliament where the ministry offered only partial information and no accountability.

Tewari had asked whether the Centre had identified those responsible for the inordinate delay and whether any institutional mechanisms were in place to prevent such hold-ups in disability welfare projects. The MHA replied only that schemes have “in-built monitoring mechanisms” and referenced the roles of state and national disability commissioners and advisory boards, but did not clarify what went wrong in Chandigarh or who would be held accountable.

The ₹24-crore Group Home, which began operations on July 21, currently accommodates only five residents. Of the 37 applications received, only seven were selected, while many others continue to raise complaints about the facility’s functioning, including no regular appointment of vocational and occupational staff, no curriculum for day care programme, rejection of maximum number of applications of Chandigarh residents for admission to Group Home etc.