J&K Handicapped Association protests in Srinagar, seeks hike in pension, jobs

An outfit championing the rights of persons with disability protested here on Wednesday, demanding increase in pension, loans at subsidised rates and a rebate in essential commodities.

The protest by the Jammu and Kashmir Handicapped Association (JKHA) came on the International Day of Persons with Disabilities.

Dozens of JKHA members gathered near the Press Enclave, holding banners and raising slogans. Their demands include a special recruitment drive for qualified persons with disability, and an increase in the monthly pension. They also sought low-interest loans with subsidies and special concessions on essential commodities, including LPG.

Association president Abdul Rashid Bhat said they have been raising the same demands for nearly 20 years.

He said the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, had been implemented across the country but not enforced in Jammu and Kashmir in its true spirit. “The Disability Act was rolled out in other states years ago, while we are still waiting for our legal rights to be recognised on the ground,” Bhat said.

The monthly pension for persons with disabilities should be increased from Rs 1,250 to Rs 3,000, he said. The protesters appealed to the government to implement these measures in line with the provisions of the Disability Act, 2016, and existing orders before dispersing peacefully.