Mandi official addresses concerns of disabled, SC-ST communities

Mandi, June 30

The Additional Deputy Commissioner of Mandi, Rohit Rathour, chaired a significant meeting here yesterday, focusing on the District Level Vigilance and Awareness Committee under the Scheduled Castes and Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act 1989. Highlighting the urgency of resolving long-pending cases, Rathour disclosed that currently, 158 cases are awaiting resolution in various district courts as of May 2024, with reports of 31 active cases from local police stations.

Addressing the need for enhanced public awareness regarding the act, Rathour instructed the District Welfare Officer to conduct awareness camps across different locales within the district.

In a related meeting concerning the district-level disability committee under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act 2016, Rathour underscored the importance of the Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan aimed at enhancing accessibility for persons with disabilities. Notably, Mandi and Sundernagar have been designated for accessibility improvements, with 137 government buildings audited for accessibility features. Rathour further instructed expedited digitisation of disability certificates and issuance of the Unique Disability ID (UDID) identity cards, benefiting 16,459 individuals, while urging resolution of pending cases.

Responding to concerns raised by Hem Lata Pathania, president of the Himalayan Handicapped Welfare Organisation, Rathour assured the installation of a dedicated signboard for disabled parking at the Deputy Commissioner’s office and regular issuance of railway passes for disabled individuals. Additionally, he directed the establishment of a medical board in Sarkaghat for disability assessments and authorised the recognition of DigiLocker for UDID cards.

Further, reviewing initiatives under the Prime Minister’s 15-point programme for minority welfare, Rathour informed about ongoing benefits to minority children, lactating women, and students through nutrition programmes, pre-school education, and scholarships. He stressed ongoing inspections of schools by department officials to ensure quality education for 3,573 minority students across government and private institutions in the district.

The meeting, overseen by District Welfare Officer Sameer, witnessed active participation from respective department officers, fostering collaborative efforts towards community welfare and empowerment.