Details
“Vice President seeks empathy for “”Differently Able”” persons, awards social change makers!”
01-Jul-2019
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By Renni Abraham
Tamil Nadu (Thiruvallur District) and Uttar Pradesh (Lucknow District) bagged the national award for being the best providers of rehabilitation services, while Kerala got the national honor as best facilitator state (through Kerala State Handicapped Persons Welfare Corporation) for empowerment work for “Differently Able” (DA) persons on Monday December 3, 2018. The day was observed as the International Day of Persons with Disabilities.
Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu sought ’empathy’ not sympathy for DA persons and also awarded outstanding examples of employees who overcame physical and mental challenges to become role models at their workplace besides employers and institutions that have followed an inclusive policy towards working with DA.
Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Thawarchand Gehlot informed the gathering that,
“Six Guiness records have been set by ‘Divyangjans’ (DA). Over 7500 camps were organized to the benefit of more than twelve lakh ‘Divyangjans’. Reservations accorded to the Differently Abled in government service was increased from 3 per cent to 4 per cent. Divyangjans from India performed exceedingly well, even in the Para-Olympics games.”
Ministers of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Krishan Pal Gurjar (MP from Rajasthan) and Ramdas Athawale (MP from Maharashtra) were also present at the function held at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi where 56 individuals and 16 institutions were conferred with national awards. Ramdas Athawale, who also attended the function told KHL, “I did not speak on the occasion, but was present as the concerned Minister. Every year these 72 awardees are bestowed with the national award for working in the segment of Divyangs (Differently Able persons). This year there was also a municipal corporation that has bagged an award. Our government has increased the reservation for DAs from three to four per cent in government jobs and five per cent in education. We have started the Sugamnya Bharat Yojna and been able to distribute hearing aids and wheelchairs to over three lakh beneficiaries over the last four years.”
Athawale also said that he had personally raised the issue of filling up of vacant posts reserved for DA persons in the Maharasthra government service on two occasions. Divyaangs (DA persons) are well and able citizens and possess the ability to work much better than most others. Twice before I have tried to examine the situation in Maharashtra state to assess the implementation of job reservations in this category. They are progressing well and officials in the state social justice department are working aggressively and supportive of the DA persons. Maharashtra is doing a good job on this front.”
Until 2017, the award scheme was governed under the National Awards Rules, 2013 that recognized only 7 categories of disabilities defined under Persons with Disabilities Act, 1995. With the enforcement of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, that came into effect from April 19, 2017, the number of specified disabilities increased from 7 to twenty-one. All these 21 disabilities were included under the National Award Guidelines that was notified in the Extra-ordinary Gazette of India dated August 2, 2018.
For National Awards 2018, an advertisement inviting applications from persons belonging to all the 21 specified disabilities was published in the leading newspapers on 17th July, 2018. In all, 1221 applications were received till last date of receipt of applications. These applications were scrutinized as per the parameters prescribed in the Guidelines by four Screening Committees constituted for this purpose. The National Selection Committee in its meeting held on 1st November, 2018 considered the applications shortlisted by the Screening Committees and recommended 72 Awards in 14 categories of National Awards.”
“By Renni Abraham
Tamil Nadu (Thiruvallur District) and Uttar Pradesh (Lucknow District) bagged the national award for being the best providers of rehabilitation services, while Kerala got the national honor as best facilitator state (through Kerala State Handicapped Persons Welfare Corporation) for empowerment work for “Differently Able” (DA) persons on Monday December 3, 2018. The day was observed as the International Day of Persons with Disabilities.
Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu sought ’empathy’ not sympathy for DA persons and also awarded outstanding examples of employees who overcame physical and mental challenges to become role models at their workplace besides employers and institutions that have followed an inclusive policy towards working with DA.
Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Thawarchand Gehlot informed the gathering that,
“Six Guiness records have been set by ‘Divyangjans’ (DA). Over 7500 camps were organized to the benefit of more than twelve lakh ‘Divyangjans’. Reservations accorded to the Differently Abled in government service was increased from 3 per cent to 4 per cent. Divyangjans from India performed exceedingly well, even in the Para-Olympics games.”
Ministers of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Krishan Pal Gurjar (MP from Rajasthan) and Ramdas Athawale (MP from Maharashtra) were also present at the function held at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi where 56 individuals and 16 institutions were conferred with national awards. Ramdas Athawale, who also attended the function told KHL, “I did not speak on the occasion, but was present as the concerned Minister. Every year these 72 awardees are bestowed with the national award for working in the segment of Divyangs (Differently Able persons). This year there was also a municipal corporation that has bagged an award. Our government has increased the reservation for DAs from three to four per cent in government jobs and five per cent in education. We have started the Sugamnya Bharat Yojna and been able to distribute hearing aids and wheelchairs to over three lakh beneficiaries over the last four years.”
Athawale also said that he had personally raised the issue of filling up of vacant posts reserved for DA persons in the Maharasthra government service on two occasions. Divyaangs (DA persons) are well and able citizens and possess the ability to work much better than most others. Twice before I have tried to examine the situation in Maharashtra state to assess the implementation of job reservations in this category. They are progressing well and officials in the state social justice department are working aggressively and supportive of the DA persons. Maharashtra is doing a good job on this front.”
Until 2017, the award scheme was governed under the National Awards Rules, 2013 that recognized only 7 categories of disabilities defined under Persons with Disabilities Act, 1995. With the enforcement of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, that came into effect from April 19, 2017, the number of specified disabilities increased from 7 to twenty-one. All these 21 disabilities were included under the National Award Guidelines that was notified in the Extra-ordinary Gazette of India dated August 2, 2018.
For National Awards 2018, an advertisement inviting applications from persons belonging to all the 21 specified disabilities was published in the leading newspapers on 17th July, 2018. In all, 1221 applications were received till last date of receipt of applications. These applications were scrutinized as per the parameters prescribed in the Guidelines by four Screening Committees constituted for this purpose. The National Selection Committee in its meeting held on 1st November, 2018 considered the applications shortlisted by the Screening Committees and recommended 72 Awards in 14 categories of National Awards.”
