Responding to the Union Government’s initiative meant to make public places, transport and other facilities disabled-friendly, the State Government has identified 50 Government buildings which would be retrofitted and restructured.
Ranchi has figured into the select list of 50 such cities across the country for this purpose under the initiative launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in December, 2015.
Informing about this, Chief Minister Raghubar Das said on Tuesday that the list of such buildings had been shared with the Centre. “We have initiated the process here in the State and sent the list of 50 such Government structures which are commonly frequented. The buildings would be made accessible for Divyangs by retrofitting those. Also, there would be provision of ramps, disabled friendly lifts and toilets into the DPR itself in all upcoming buildings,” said the CM in his address at a programme organised to generate awareness about making the environment hindrance-free for disabled.
The CM, on the occasion, also announced that cut-off marks kept for competitive examinations would be lowered ever further for the persons with physical challenges. There are three percent reservations for the disabled in the government jobs.
He said that a large number of posts reserved for the disabled remains vacant due to high cut off marks. “So, it would be reduced further, to fill up the vacancies meant for the disabled,” he added.
“I also say that women with such challenges should be treated with more sensitivity. There should be a sense of owning the Divyangs and not merely offering them charity,” said the CM. An estimate suggests that over 7 lakh Divyangs are in the State and most of the public facilities are unwelcoming for them.
Also present there was Union Cabinet Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Thaawarchand Gehlot along with two of his Ministers of State Ramdas Athawale and Krishan Pal Gurjar.
“So far nine states have shown interest in launching Sugamya Bharat initiative and Jharkhand is fifth among them that have been covered under the programme. We have been told that Jharkhand is ready with its proposals and we at the Ministry are ready with fund needed for retrofitting the public places in accordance with the needs of disabled. At personal level we are giving various scholarships for Divyangs. It has been decided that DBT scheme would be implemented to check leakages,” said Gehlot.
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State to ease cut-off marks for disabled in job test
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He also said that if land is made available in Jharkhand the Centre can set up Composite Regional Centre to infuse training and empowerment of disabled. Talking about other initiatives, the Union Minister said that 18 presses were being set up for printing Braille materials.
“It is being felt that disabled persons have great deal of difficulty to validate their certificates from one district to other or one state to other. We have decided to go for multipurpose universal identification which would be valid across the country so that they can get all the facilities in seamless manner,” said the Minister.
A list of 2500 buildings has been prepared along with 29 airports and railway stations across the country where correction is required.
Joint Secretary at the Ministry Mukesh Jain pointed out that 6,000 such websites have been identified that are used for larger public purposes and would be made more convenient for disabled.
MoS Krishan Pal Gurjar said that Rs 286 crore has been sanctioned for upgrading the equipments meant for disabled and the Ministry has collaborated with Germany and the United Kingdom in this regard. Book written by visibly challenged IAS officer Rajesh Kumar Singh was also released on the occasion.