Disability pension to be increased in Arunachal Pradesh

Arunachal CM has asked government departments to fully implement the five percent job quota for the disabled.

Itanagar, Feb 22: Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu has announced raising pension for differently abled people under Chief Minister's Disability Pension Scheme.

The ensuing budget will see substantial increase in funds for their welfare, Khandu said here yesterday. Voicing regret over concerned government department's failure to fully implement the five per cent job quota for the disabled, the Chief Minister asked them to strictly go by it.

The CM made the announcement while inaugurating the 'Composite Regional Centre for Persons with Disabilities' in presence of Union Minister of Social Justice & Empowerment, Thaawar Chand Gehlot and Union Minister for Home Affairs, Kiren Rijiju and Union Minister of State for Social Justice & Empowerment, Krishan Pal Gurjar. The regional centre is under the aegis of National Institute for Locomotor Disabilities, Kolkata.

The NILD is under the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, Union Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment. The Union government has announced Rs 20 crore for establishment of the regional centre with 17 posts having been created to run the institute.

Khandu asked state Parliamentary Secretary for Social Justice Gojen Gadi to identify two acres of land for immediate commencement of the project. For the benefit of disabled persons, he announced that a substantial amount of fund would be earmarked in the coming budget for organising Para-Olympics in the state.

Also present on the occasion, Rijiju called upon people to change their mindset towards differently abled people as they too have equal rights to lead a normal and dignified life. The Union Minister lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi for giving official recognition to disabled persons as Divyangjan from their earlier nomenclature of Viklang.

PTI