Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 16: A delegation of persons with disabilities led by Girdhari Lal Raina, MLC, met Governor N.N. Vohra at the Raj Bhavan today.
Raina apprised Governor about the various serious difficulties which are being faced by specially abled persons and requested that an effective mechanism should be put in place for issuing disability certificates; reservation in jobs for disabled Kashmiri migrants; the existing Co-ordination Committee on Disability, constituted under the J&K Person’s With Disability Act 1998, should be renamed as the State Advisory Board under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act-2016; provision of disability friendly infrastructure in all public places, transport and educational institutes; early passage of Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act-2016; formulation of a policy on Disability Rights; census of persons with Disabilities; renewal of State Welfare Trust Act 2015 for benefit of people with Autism, Mental Disability, Cerebral Palsy and Multiple Disability; persons with Disability should be issued unique disability identity proof under Swavlamban Scheme of Govt. of India; appointment of full time Director for Composite Regional Centre; reservation for disabled in Legislative Council; implementation of job reservation for disabled in Universities; paralympic committee in J&K should be headed by persons with disabilities only and cover all districts in J&K under Special Olympics Bharat and Khelo India schemes; and enhancement in social security pensions.
Governor observed that he would address the Social Welfare Minister about the demands of the delegation.
A 16 member delegation of the Youth All India Kashmiri Samaj (YAIKS), led by its President Pt. R.K. Bhat also met Governor.
The members of the delegation requested Governor’s intervention to expedite filling of 6000 posts reserved for Kashmiri Pandit migrants in Government departments as per Prime Minister’s Employment Package; reservation of 2-4 % in Central Government jobs and educational institutes for displaced KP youth; one time compensation in favour of KP Migrants who have crossed the upper age limit; treating all Valley Posted Migrant Employees at par with the other Kashmiri migrants till fool proof security arrangements by Central Security Forces are made at every transit Camp, relocation of transit Camps at Hawl and Nutunsoo; establishment of Kendriya Vidayalayas/ State run Government schools manned by migrant teachers; provision of scholarships to wards of such employees and provision of risk allowance for migrant employee posted in the Valley; creation of a separate district for KPs till their return to Valley; grant of minority status to KPs; political reservation for KPs in State Assembly and Central Parliament.
Governor assured the delegation that their demands will be taken up with Union Home Minister.
Among others delegation included Padam Shri K.N. Pandita; P.L. Koul Badgami; Retd. Justice B.L Saraf; A.K. Diwani and Pran Pandita.
A delegation of International Human Rights Protection Council, led by its President A.N. Bharadwaj apprised Governor about the activities undertaken by the Council, which included projecting issues relating to the minorities, negating Pakistan’s propaganda to cause communal tension in J&K etc.
They demanded thorough probe against the individuals and organisations who are involved in anti State propaganda.
Governor appreciated the Council’s continuing efforts to highlight important issues of public interest and urged Bharadwaj and his colleagues to continue their ground work.
Prof. R.R. Sharma, former Vice-Chancellor, University of Jammu also called on Governor and discussed several important issues relating to the challenges which are presently facing the higher education sector in J&K and the possible steps which could enhance the standard of teaching.
Governor also sought Prof. Sharma’s views about the manner in which the Universities could beneficially utilise the graded autonomies granted to them by the Union Ministry of Human Resource Development.
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