Visually impaired protest lack of vacancies in govt depts

Tribune News Service

Patiala, March 11

Visually impaired people, associated with the National Federation of the Blind, held a protest today near the residence of Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh.

In a memorandum submitted to the officials of the district administration, they submitted that vacancies for the blind in the government departments must be filled at the earliest.

The people had also brought a cake to the protest site to be given to the Chief Minister on his birthday.

In the memorandum, the protesters said the visually impaired employees had not been promoted by various departments in a long time and demanded action on the same. They also demanded that pensions of the visually impaired employees, who have been receiving Rs 750 as pension, should be given Rs 5,000.

Besides, the association members demanded that the old pension scheme should be implemented for the current government employees as well and that they should be given 20 per cent concession in passing the Teacher Eligibility Test in Punjab, like on the lines of Rajasthan.

The association members also accused the government for not creating vacancies at the schools for blind in Jamalpur, Ludhaina, for the past 18 years, and demanded that regular vacancies be created and filled at the school for them.

Among other demands, the protesters said the state government should provide free toll tax service for the visually impaired, allocate 4 per cent budget of the state for them and be provided 400 units of electricity for free.

Balwinder Singh, general secretary, National Federation of the Blind, said: “We brought a cake with us for the Chief Minister. Our members climbed upon the barricades to put forward their protest. Later, the officials of the administration collected our memorandum.”

Their Demands

• Pensions of visually impaired employees should be increased to Rs5,000 from Rs750
• Old pension scheme should be implemented for the present government employees as well
• Visually impaired people should be given 20 per cent concession in passing the Teacher Eligibility Test in Punjab
• Free toll tax service for the visually impaired, allocating 4 per cent budget of the state for them and 400 units of electricity for free