Disabilities Bill to be tabled soon, says Selja

Draft Bill has been sent to States for their suggestions

Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Kumari Selja has said the government will introduce the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Bill in Parliament shortly.

She was speaking after laying the foundation stone for the Composite Regional Centre for Persons with Disabilities at Vellimadukunnu here on Saturday.

Upcoming projects

The Minister said the draft Bill had been sent to all the States for getting their suggestions.

Referring to the upcoming projects of the Union government for the welfare of the physically and mentally challenged persons, she said emphasis would be given to increase the human resource in the sector through proper training.

Ms. Selja said that around 75 per cent of people with disabilities were residing in the rural areas and hence there should be more grassroots-level interventions.

30 per cent employed

“Also, we should notice the fact that only 30 per cent of them were currently employed,” she pointed out.

Minister for Panchayats and Social Justice M.K. Muneer said the Centre should support the State to sanction two Central institutes – one to care the visually challenged and the other for orthopaedic care.

Dr. Muneer said steps had been taken to regularise the employment of people with disabilities. A report in this regard with details of people who secured government job up to 2003 had been forwarded for the consideration of the Chief Minister.

Already 1,083 persons with physical disabilities had been regularised in their jobs, he pointed out.

He also shared the plan of the State government to issue disability certificates to 2.57 lakh more persons in the State through the Kerala State Social Security Mission and to set up a hi-tech prosthesis manufacturing unit.

Report on centre

Presenting a report on the upcoming Composite Regional Centre for Persons with Disabilities, Neeradha Chandramohan, Director, National Institute for Empowerment of Persons with Multiple Disabilities, said the new project would be completed in a phased manner at Chevayur.

It would offer all modern amenities for people with multiple disabilities, she said.

M.K. Raghavan, MP, presided over the function. Mayor A.K. Premajam, district panchayat president K. Jameela, A. Pradeep Kumar, MLA; and District Collector K.V. Mohan Kumar were present.