Centre urged to implement Disability Act-2016 in J&K

Tribune News Service

Jammu, December 3

As the world observed Disability Day, physically challenged persons in Jammu and Kashmir continue to be deprived of their rights.

The J&K Handicapped Welfare Association on Tuesday demanded that the Central government should implement the provisions of the Disability Act-2016 as the state had become a Union Territory now.

The association has also demanded self-help groups for economic uplift of the physically challenged persons who have faced discrimination in the erstwhile J&K state.

Addressing a press conference, association president Ravi Kumar said, “For years the successive governments have failed to implement any welfare measures for the physically challenged persons. We are hopeful that the new UT government will give them due attention.”

He also demanded that physically challenged person should be provided with electronic wheelchairs as promised by the government in 2017.

“The National Food Security scheme offers entitlement to various groups but the survey does not contain any column mentioning disability status of a person. Persons with disability should be included in the BPL category,” Kumar demanded.

The association said in 2017 then Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti had chaired a meeting and had assured that demands of physically challenged persons would be addressed but nothing was done during her tenure in the state.