North News
Chandigarh, January 11
Punjab’s Minister for Social Security, Women and Child Development, Dr. Baljit Kaur, urged officials to enhance accessibility of government schemes for disabled persons and expedite their implementation. Chairing a high-level meeting of the Punjab State Advisory Board at Punjab Bhawan, she called for grassroots-level impact of welfare initiatives and reviewed ongoing projects.
Dr. Kaur directed the completion of pending work on 144 government buildings across 10 districts under the SIPDA scheme and stressed making all government buildings barrier-free within three years. A detailed proposal was requested to achieve this goal. To monitor progress, a five-member committee led by district Deputy Commissioners will be notified, the Social Security Department announced.
The Minister emphasized strict enforcement of the RPWD Act, 2016, particularly regarding reservation benefits for disabled individuals. A report detailing benefits under the Act will be presented in the next board meeting. She also instructed the Health and Family Welfare Department to resolve pending UDID card applications within a month and organize special camps to address discrepancies.
Punjab Sports Policy 2023 was highlighted during the meeting, showcasing incentives for disabled athletes. Punjab remains the first state in the region to offer such benefits, the Sports Department reported. Dr. Kaur directed officials to resolve grading issues faced by these athletes promptly.
To improve living standards for disabled persons, Dr. Kaur called for collaboration with NGOs to identify beneficiaries willing to undergo vocational training. The Employment Generation and Skill Development Department was tasked with organizing special camps, while disabled individuals were encouraged to register at the Special Employment Exchange in Ludhiana.
The Minister instructed Urban and Rural Development Departments to prioritize granting agricultural land and housing under Section 37 of the RPWD Act. She urged officials to appoint grievance redressal officers and ensure information dissemination on departmental websites.
Dr. Kaur also highlighted a campaign launched to address backlog vacancies for disabled persons. To date, 21 departments have sent requisitions to recruitment boards to fill these positions.
Reaffirming the government’s commitment, Dr. Kaur said the administration under Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann is dedicated to improving the welfare of disabled persons across Punjab.
