Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh today disclosed that the Department of Personnel & Training (DoPT) had relaxed the transfer policy in case of government employees who happened to be the parents or care-givers of a disabled child. As a result of this, parents of such children would be exempted from routine exercise of transfer in government service, subject to administrative constraints. Dr Jitendra Singh was speaking after inaugurating T-20 series cricket match between India and Pakistan teams comprising of specially abled or physically challenged players from both sides. The series is being held in connection with the “World Disability Day”.
Elaborating further, Dr Jitendra Singh said, initially, the Narendra Modi government provided this relaxation in case of employees who were care-givers of a child with certain disabilities like blindness or low vision, hearing impairment, locomotors disability, cerebral palsy, mental retardation, multiple disabilities and autism, but a recent proposal put up few days back, seeks to include two more conditions namely, thalassaemia and hemophilia in this category.Dr Jitendra Singh said, another major decision taken by the Government with regard to Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) is to provide hi-tech latest technology devices including low-vision aids, hearing aids, special furniture, wheelchairs, software scanners and other necessary hardware to those of the employees who are already in the government service. For those of the disabled youth who are not in government service, a special recruitment drive has been launched from 22nd May this year to fill up vacancies by February 2016, he added. Dr Jitendra Singh also informed that there is an age relaxation of ten years in upper age limit for the persons with disabilities to apply for jobs to all the posts under Central Government. In addition, 3% reservation of vacancies for direct recruitment is applicable to Group A, B, C & D and similarly 3% reservation of vacancies is also available for promotion applicable to Group C & D, he added.