Question : RESERVATION FOR HANDICAPPED

(a) Whether the Government are aware that there is a huge backlog in the appointment of Handicapped persons in the handicapped category both at the State and Central level;

(b) If so, the details and the reasons therefor and steps being taken in this regard;

(c) whether the Government are considering to amend the Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protections of Rights and Full Participation) Act, 1995 to make it mandatory for corporate and Private Sector to provide reservation for disabled persons;

(d) if so, the details thereof; and

(e) if not, the reasons therefor and other measures being taken to make them socially and economically independent?

MINISTER OF STATE OF THE MINISTRY OF SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT (SMT. MANEKA GANDHI)

(a)&(b) The Government is aware that there is a backlog in the appointment of handicapped persons at the State & Central level. As per information available, various steps have been initiated at the Central and State level. These include identification of Posts, launching of Special Recruitment Drives and lifting of the ban on filling up vacancies in so far as recruitment of the disabled is concerned.

(c),(d)&(e) There is a proposal to amend the Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities Protection of Rights & Full Participation ) Act, 1995. The Government has also taken other measures to promote socio-economic rehabilitation of the disabled by providing soft-loans and micro-credit through National Handicapped Finance and Development corporation (NHFDC) for self employment and grants to NGO`s for vocational training and placement. The Ministry of Labour is implementing the Scheme of Vocational Rehabilitation Centres (VRC), through which disabled persons are assessed for residual ability and provided appropriate training for economic rehabilitation. There are 17 VRC`s in the country.