No reservation in government jobs for blind, says association

Shimla, June 6 (UNI) The Himachal Pradesh unit of the Blind Person Association today criticised the state government for not implementing the 1976 central government notification under which one per cent government jobs were reserved for the blind.

''The government is not serious in implementing the notification, which, on the other hand, is being implemented in Punjab, Haryana and the newly carved out Uttaranchal,'' association president Shobhu Ram said at a press conference here.

He said the reservation in government jobs was for all categories, but had not been extended to the blind in the state, which had a population of about 2,500.

''If only the government implemented the 1976 central government notification, reserving one per cent government jobs for the blind, all the unemployed blind of the state will get employment,'' he said.

Mr Ram said despite the enactment of the People with Disability Act 1995, the state government had failed to appoint a regular Chief Disability Commissioner, who was responsible for liasioning with the state government and ensure that adequate care of the blind was taken.

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