After implementing the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act (PWD) Act, 2016 to help people suffering from various disabilities, the Delhi Government is planning to create a separate department for disabled persons as well as it is set to change the existing name of the Department of Social Welfare to ‘Department of Social Justice and Empowerment.
Minister for Department of Social welfare Rajendra Pal Gautam in an interactive session organised by the speaker of Delhi Assembly, Ram Niwas Goel on Wednesday to understand the PWD Act, 2016, announced about the proposal for creating a separate department for disabled persons and name change of the existing department that he currently heads.
“The Government is already working for the upliftment of physically disabled persons but it will provide much more facilities and opportunities by creating a separate department for which the process has already been started, We further expect that the department will be ready soon,” said Gautam.
He also added that once the department will be ready for the disabled persons, the Government will also introduce new policies and regulations such as Section 13 of Rehabilitation Council of India Act will come into force for increasing the quality of services in the disability sector.
The interactive session was also attended by the State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities TD Dhariyal and many other senior officials and representatives from non-governmental organisations (NGOs).
“The name of the Social Welfare Department will also be changed to Department of Social Justice and Empowerment, for which process has already been initiated. Also, for the first time, Delhi State Institute for Rehabilitation and Allied Services will be created to provide financial assistance to anyone who needs any kind of support system,” said Gautam.
The Minister further said that the number of schools for the disabled children will be increased and special educators and teachers will be roped in and the department is also working to make the all the school building and roads disabled friendly.