New Delhi, Dec 24: The Modi Government has increased the number of disability categories eligible for reservation for Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) from 3 to 5, Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh said on Sunday.
Dr Singh, who is also Incharge DoPT (Department of Personnel & Training), shared this information during a meeting with a delegation from the Divyang Employees National Organization.
The expanded disability categories now include: Blindness and low vision, deaf and hard of hearing, locomotor disability including cerebral palsy, leprosy cured, dwarfism, acid attack victims, and muscular dystrophy, Autism, intellectual disability, specific learning disability, and mental illness, and multiple disabilities from among persons under clauses (1) to (4), including deaf-blindness.
He said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Central government has implemented various welfare schemes for the benefit of Divyangs, in line with the commitment to address the needs of sections of society that were previously overlooked.
Dr Jitendra highlighted the initiatives taken since 2014, including the increase in reservation quotas for Divyangs to 4% in Central Government Services and 5% in Education, under ‘The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016.’ The minister emphasized the government’s commitment to creating an inclusive society and empowering persons with disabilities.
Various measures, such as fee remission for Divyangs in Civil Services Examination, two choices of home cadre for qualifying Civil Services Examination, increased Divyang pension, and raised attendant allowance, have been implemented for their welfare. Dr. Singh noted that around 15,000 vacant posts meant for Divyangs were filled under a special drive initiated by the government.
The delegation submitted a memorandum to the Minister, offering suggestions for promotion avenues and service conditions. The union minister recalled the Prime Minister’s commitment to developing para-athletes, leading to the historic performance of Indian Paralympians at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, where they won 19 medals, including 5 Gold, 8 Silver, and 6 Bronze.
In the Ministry of Science & Technology, several schemes have been introduced in the last 9 years to support Divyangs in science, technology, and startups, added Dr Jitendra Singh.
