 Early Times Report
Jammu, Dec 3: Sham Lal Sharma, former Minister and Vice-President of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), acknowledged the steadfast dedication of the BJP-led government, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to extending support to all sections of society, with a particular focus on enhancing the conditions of the impoverished, needy, and disabled individuals.
Addressing the audience as the chief guest at an event organized by the All Jammu and Kashmir Disabled Welfare Trust in Akhnoor on ‘World Disabled Day,’ chaired by Trust Chairman Sushil Sharma, Mr. Sham Lal Sharma lauded the efforts of those gathered to commemorate ‘Divyang Diwas,’ a day dedicated to honoring this significant segment of society. He specifically commended the Trust management for arranging the event on a day designated for disabled persons while ensuring essential facilities for differently-abled individuals.
During the program, Mr. Sharma acknowledged the challenges faced by differently-abled people, as highlighted by the Trust Chairman. He expressed appreciation for the Trust’s commitment to addressing these challenges and promoting the well-being of disabled individuals.
On this occasion, Chairman of the J&K Disabled Welfare Association, Mr. Sushil Sharma, expressed strong dissatisfaction with the government for not giving due attention to their legitimate demands, which are still pending. Among the demands presented during the function were:
1. Increase in Pension: The current monthly pension of Rs. 1000 provided by the Social Welfare Department is deemed insufficient to meet the needs of disabled individuals. A request was made to raise the pension to Rs. 5000 per month.
2. Functionalization of Composite Regional Centre: The Composite Regional Centre, sanctioned in July 2013, has been allocated land near AHMS Vijaypur (Samba). While a rented building has been acquired, the center has not yet been made operational at the proposed site.
3. Creation of a Separate Department: Despite the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, Government of India, establishing a separate Department known as the Department of Disability Affairs, a similar separate department for disabled people is requested to be created to address their issues effectively.
4. Implementation of Acts: The Rehabilitation Council of India Act 1992 and the Mental Health Care Act 2017, along with 206 Acts, extended on 5th August 2019, have not seen the issuance of notifications for their implementation. The prompt implementation of these acts, crucial for the disabled community, was requested.
Mr. Sham Sharma assured the audience that these issues are genuine and will be taken up with the concerned authorities for swift resolution. |
