Health and Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Dr. (Col.) Dhani Ram Shandil today here held a meeting with the representatives of Blind Persons Association (BPA) and National Federation of Blind (NFB) to address the various issues pertaining to the welfare of visually impaired persons. The Minister said that at present there were around 311 vacant posts of visually impaired in various departments and out of this recruitment for 174 posts was in final stages of completion.
The posts under recruitment include 41 posts in School Education Department, 13 posts in the Animal Husbandry Department, four posts in Health & Family Welfare Department and remaining posts in various other departments. The Minister said that the state government has decided to increase the social security pension from Rs. 1,700 to Rs. 3,000 per month for the Divyangjans with 100 disability.
The increase would benefit around 7,000 Divyangjans. He added that the issues of free travel in HRTC buses through the Him Bus Card, increase in conveyance allowance, skill training for visually impaired employees, appointment of independent State Commissioner for persons with disabilities in the state, issues related to Sahara Pension Yojna and special schools being run in the state at Sundernagar of District Mandi and Dhalli of District Shimla would also be considered sympathetically.
The Social Justice and Empowerment Minister assured the representatives of the BPA and NFB that the state government was highly considerate towards the issues and concerns related to the welfare of the visually impaired. Dr. (Col.) Dhani Ram Shandil said that the state government, under the guidance of Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, was working on creating more and more opportunities for the youth of the state and this would benefit the persons with disabilities as well.
The Minister assured the representatives of the BPA and NFB that he would personally take up their demand of providing a vacant space for office with the concerned authorities. Director ESOMSA Sumit Khimta, Additional Director ESOMSA Dr. Bhawana, President of BPA Shobhu Ram, Vice President Shishu Pal Mehta, Representatives of BPA and NFB and officials from various departments were present in the meeting.