Kamlesh Kumar Pande, Chief Commissioner for Person with Disabilities, Government of India today expressed satisfaction over the implementation of the Rights of Persons with Disability (RPWD) Act, 2016. Briefing the media, he said that 9 new schemes would soon be started in Punjab to bring it at the top of such states having congenial and cordial atmosphere for disable persons in public and private sector.Speaking to the media at Punjab Bhawan, he said that he himself had a one to one meeting with the Chief Secretary of the Punjab Government besides holding review meetings with HoDs of various government departments like; School Education, Health, PWD, Local Govt, Housing and Urban Development, Transport, Higher Education, Industries, Technical Education, Rural Development, Personnel, Finance and Labour. He said that he would prepare a report and it would be submitted to the union government. This report would be instrumental in framing a policy for uplifting the social and economic status of the persons with disabilities.Mr. Pande further said that as per 2011 census, there are 2.86 crore persons with disabilities in India. He said that in Punjab, out of total 6.52 lakh disable persons 3.82 lakh persons have been provided with the certificates of disabilities.
He said that to provide recognition of the state disabilities certificates in other states of the country, a Unique Disability Identification (UDID) number would be issued so that these special persons may also get benefits in other states.Mr. Pande said that he had suggested the state government to set up District Early Intervention Centres (DEIC) at the district level so that early detection of disability in a child, while in womb or immediate after delivery, can be done. He said that by doing this, disability in a child can be prevented at the earliest stage. He said that in our country, 50 lakh persons are suffering from blindness due to the non-availability of cornea, whereas in India, 1 crore persons died every year. He said that it is matter of sorrow that due to the lack of awareness people doesn’t come forward to donate cornea after death. He said that last year, we have been successful in collecting 60,000 corneas through donation.Chief Commissioner further said that he had also suggested the state government to set up a separate department for the persons with disabilitiesMr. Rakesh Kumar Roy, Deputy Commissioner for Person with Disabilities, Government of India, Mrs. Kavita Singh, Director, Social Security Punjab and Mr. Harpal Singh, Deputy Director, Social Security, Punjab were also present on this occasion.