Punjab gets Punjab and Haryana High Court notice for 'not implementing' scheme for disabled

Tribune News Service

Karam Prakash

Patiala, February 6

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has issued a notice of motion to the state of Punjab on the alleged non-implementation of the Punjab Divyangjan Sashaktikaran Yojana (PDSY).

The scheme was meant to empower around 6.5 lakh differently abled people in the state.

The notice is said to have been issued in response to the writ petition filed in the HC by Vijay Walia (68), who is 100 per cent visually impaired.

Depts unaware

A majority of government departments that are the main stakeholders in implementing the Punjab Divyangjan Sashaktikaran Yojana are unaware of it. It is unfortunate that the vulnerable part of society has to move court for its rights. Vijay Walia, petitioner

The petitioner, who is a Patiala resident, had to take the legal course after he was denied the benefits under the scheme by the Departments of Health and Transport.

It has been learnt that most of the departments are unaware of the scheme and they, therefore, don’t entertain the beneficiaries.

In November last year, the Department of Social Security had, however, claimed that all the departments in the state were informed about the scheme.

The Cabinet had approved the scheme in January last year and allocated funds for the same.

The petitioner, Walia, said that the office of the Patiala Civil Surgeon could not provide him with health insurance benefits under the said scheme.

“A majority of the departments that are the main stakeholders in implementing the scheme are unaware of it. I approached the Transport Department, which had already expressed its ignorance about the scheme. It is unfortunate that vulnerable chunk of society has to move court for its rights,” the petitioner said.

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