Uttaranchal unit of NBA rues apathy of state govt towards blinds

Dehra Dun, Dec 2 (UNI) The Uttaranchal unit of the National Blind Association today expressed its dismay over the indifference of the state government towards visually-challenged people in providing jobs to them.

Addressing the media here, Association's state general secretary Pitambar Singh Chauhan said till now only 35 visually-challenged people out of 500 have been provided with government jobs since the state came into being six years ago ''Out of the registered 500 visually-challenged members in the state only a meagre 35 have received government jobs so far in six years, on the other hand in the deaf and mute and physically-challenged categories 421 and 83 people have been doled out jobs respectively,'' he said on the eve of 'World Handicap Day'.

Expressing displeasure over the condition of the visually-challenged in the state, Mr Chauhan said the new act chalked out in 2004 for identifying jobs for them was replete with anomalies.

He also regretted the fact that according to the new amended act most of the jobs were earmarked for deaf and mute people, leaving very few for the visually-challenged.

''The government is not following 3 per cent job reservation norms,'' he alleged.

Mr Chauhan said many advertisements had so far been published pertaining to the jobs for the handicapped, but even after more than a year no interviews had been conducted.

''The Association representatives will meet the Chief Secretary of the State on December 4 in this regard,'' he added.

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