Social Welfare Department seems unaware or quite unmindful of the fact that it is required to update its records and keep all relevant data available in respect of the number of people with disabilities in Jammu and Kashmir. Since currently vaccination drive is going on with full tempo across the UT of Jammu and Kashmir, there is no reliable data in respect of those in the age group of 15-18 years in respect of COVID vaccination. Medical and Family Welfare Department too have no data in respect of how many with physical disabilities have received the first dose which cannot make the drive achieve its desired objectives. Agreed on district basis, there could be such data available in respect of the number of total disabilities but not in respect of different age groups especially the ones under reference. There must be specific targets and as such the number of prospective beneficiaries of the vaccination but since the concerned agencies being not in know of the figures, the question is how can the drive be made successful and foolproof and which particular department should have looked into it. Conservative estimates of such persons being around eighty thousand means shooting arrows in the air. We do not underestimate the devotion to the noble cause by the personnel of the Social Welfare Department who are lending full support in ferrying the identified persons falling in the age group to the vaccination centres but having no data may leave many either not getting inoculated at all or getting it partially
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