A high-level meeting of the Punjab State Advisory Board, chaired by Dr. Baljit Kaur, Minister for Social Security, Women and Child Development, was held at Punjab Bhawan. The Minister emphasized ensuring that government schemes are accessible to Divyang persons and directed officials to implement these schemes effectively at the grassroots level.
Dr. Baljit Kaur reviewed the status of welfare initiatives and instructed various departments to expedite their implementation. She directed the completion of pending work on 144 government buildings in 10 districts under the SIPDA scheme within the specified time frame.
Furthermore, she stressed that all government buildings be made barrier-free within three years and asked the department to prepare a detailed proposal. To monitor progress, the Social Security Department instructed to notify a five-member committee, led by the Deputy Commissioner at the district level.
The Minister also underscored the importance of strictly implementing the provisions of the RPWD Act, 2016, to safeguard reservation benefits for Divyang persons. She directed the submission of a detailed report on benefits provided under these provisions during the next board meeting.
Taking serious note of the pending UDID card applications, Dr. Baljit Kaur directed the Health and Family Welfare Department to clear these applications within a month. She also instructed the department to present a comprehensive proposal in the next board meeting to address challenges faced by Divyang Persons in obtaining UDID cards.
Civil Surgeons were directed to organize special camps to address discrepancies in disability percentage and other issues related to UDID cards.
The Sports Department informed
the board about the benefits and incentives provided to disabled athletes under the Punjab Sports Policy 2023, highlighting that Punjab is the first state in the region to offer such special benefits. The Minister directed the department to prioritize resolving grading issues faced by disabled athletes.
To uplift the living standards of Divyang Persons, Dr. Baljit Kaur instructed board members to identify such individuals in collaboration with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and support those willing to undergo vocational training.
She also directed the Employment Generation and Skill Development Department to organize special camps for this purpose. Cabinet Minister appealed to all Divyang persons to register at the Special Employment Exchange established at the Deputy Commissioner's office in Ludhiana to avail government schemes for vocational training and employment.
Dr. Baljit Kaur also instructed the Urban Development and Rural Development Departments to prioritize providing agricultural land and housing to persons with disabilities under Section 37 of the RPWD Act and ensure effective dissemination of information regarding these schemes.
She urged officials from various departments to prioritize resolving Divyang Persons and to ensure the appointment of grievance redressal officers as per the notification issued by the Social Security Department. These details should be made available on the respective departmental websites.
Dr. Baljit Kaur also informed the board that last year, a special campaign was launched to identify backlog vacancies for Divyang Persons. So far, 21 departments have sent requisitions to the Punjab Subordinate Services Selection Board and the Punjab Public Service Commission for filling these positions.
Dr. Baljit Kaur affirmed that the Punjab government, under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, is committed to the welfare of Divyang Persons and is working tirelessly to ensure their well-being.