Disability Act-1995

   Government of India make disability Act-1995 to give special benefits to handicap persons, but as per belief of Punjab government’s Social Security Minister Laxmikant Chawla in the state act was not implemented at its full capacity, as handicap persons entitle for the benefits are not getting. It can be due to lack of information or shortage of awareness campaign. Just recently she held meeting with different government department representatives and express her disappointment on to the problems faced by handicapped despite Disability Act 1995 is implemented in the state. As per law handicap persons working in an organisation with less or up to twenty five thousand rupees scheme is running that ESI & EPF amount of such employees will be issue in three years period, but it has seen that in score of cases due to lack of knowledge handicap persons are unable to enjoy the scheme’s benefits. As per reports she was upset and directed concerned departments representatives with strong words to implement Disability Act 1995 proposals.

• In the meeting representatives of Industrial department she pass on directives that whenever they received any new proposal of factory in the state then they should add terms for the benefits of handicap persons that factory will hire three percent of their work force which comes in the category of handicap, as her department has made three percent reservation policy for handicap persons.
• Representatives of Transport department gets words from her to make it possible that on every bus terminal of state there will be wheel chair so that it helps handicap persons to move from one place to another without any problem. As it has seen that due to rush they find it very difficult to catch the bus of their destination.
• Representatives of Education department get instructions to submit details under right to information act how many kids’ gets advantages plus how many teachers have taken responsibilities to visit different homes to teach the kids.
• Punjab Urban Development Authority (PUDA) representatives asked to make sure three percent reservation to the handicap persons in the allotments of house, shops and plots. In this regards she wants a policy so that handicap persons gets benefits under the Disabilities Act 1995 which has comes into force almost fifteen years back but till date policy is not make.
• From Health department nobody was present in the meeting, considering this social security minister issue letter to the health department and asked in future meetings they should not skip the meeting.
• Representatives of Rural development & Panchayat departments have not any satisfactory answers. Minister scolds the representatives and asked to attend the meetings next time with full information’s relating to their departments schemes. Five percent reservation for the handicap persons asked by the minister in Golden Jubilee rural plan and Indira Awaas Yogna.

President of Physical Handicap Education Association Mr. Dardi said there is feeling of uncomfortable among Punjab’s handicap persons but hopefully meeting of social security minister with different government department’s representatives relating to the schemes for handicap persons as she has pass on directions to the different departments, their problems will be reduce significantly.