Policy for disabled delayed by nearly 2 yrs

Ajai Srivastava,member of the newly-constituted high-level state coordination committee under the Disability Act and chairman of Umang Foundation,has demanded the policy for persons with disability be released during the Budget Session of the state Assembly. In a statement issued here on Thursday,he said the Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment had promised in July 2008 that the policy would be released within two months,but there was no word on it till date.

He also demanded a meeting of the coordination committee,a statutory committee,be convened chaired by the Minister of Social Justice & Empowerment. In a statement issued here on Thursday he said,“Several issues related to persons with disabilities are pending with the Department of Social Justice & Empowerment. The meetings of statutory committees under the Disability Act are not held as per the norms and the mandate of the Act. Therefore,an urgent meeting of the committee is required.”

He said the functioning of the department has always been under scanner as far as disability rights and child rights are concerned.