The Tamil Nadu Association for the Rights of All Types of Differently Abled & Caregivers conducted a State-wide protest on Friday.
The protest, conducted across 37 locations and in which over 4,000 persons participated, was to demand the implementation of government order No. 27 that said persons with 40 per cent or more disability could avail of the monthly disability pension. The earlier criteria stipulated a disability of 60 per cent or more.
The government order had also deleted the condition ‘destitute’ that existed earlier.
However, even five months after the order, the G.O. has not been implemented, said Mr. Namburajan, secretary of the association.
“Hundreds of persons with disabilities of 40 per cent or more have attempted to apply for the monthly pension but they are not able to get it ,” he said.
In Chennai, over 100 persons participated in the protest, he said.
Disability rights activists want all of the welfare measures and allowances to be streamlined and made accessible under one department – the Welfare of Differently Abled Persons Department, said Mr. Namburajan.
At present, two pensions are given by the Department of Social Welfare and distributed by the Revenue Department and one pension is given by the Welfare of Differently abled Persons Department.
