Government criticised for poor implementation of Disabilites Act

AIZAWL: Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities (PwD), Prasanna Kumar Pincha today slammed the Mizoram government for poor implementation of the Persons with Disabilities Act, 1995 even after its enactment for 19 years.

Addressing a press conference here, Pincha described the implementation of PwD Act in the state as 'alarmingly pathetic' and there was scope for improvement.

He said that the three per cent seat reservation for persons with disabilities in government jobs should be implemented to the letter.

He rued the absence of books written with braille for blind students and also facilities in public places for people with disabilities.

According to the 2011 Census, there were 15,160 people with disabilities in Mizoram of which 8,627 were living in the rural areas while 6,533 people were from the urban areas.

The state government has given Disability certificates to 8,362 people till date.

Of the people with disabilities, 1,976 were Locomotor or orthopedically handicapped, 1,585 were mentally retarded, 2,035 were with visual impairment, 3,354 were with hearing impairment and 1,050 were suffering from mental illness.