NT Reporter
Panaji
Panchayat secretaries can play a crucial role in identifying and reaching persons with disabilities, who are still not connected to government welfare schemes and services, said State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities Guruprasad Pawaskar.
“Panchayat secretaries are the backbone of grassroots governance, and accessibility should be incorporated into village planning and development from the outset,” said Pawaskar.
He said that while issuing occupancy certificates, panchayats should ensure compliance with accessibility norms wherever applicable.
Pawaskar was speaking at a two-day sensitisation and awareness programme on ‘Rights of Persons with Disabilities and Empowering Panchayats for Inclusive and Accessible Villages’.
The programme was organised by the Office of the State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities, Goa, in collaboration with the Department for Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD), Goa, and the Directorate of Panchayats. The training was attended by panchayat secretaries and Social Welfare Department field workers from across the state. It aimed to strengthen their understanding of disability rights and their role in creating inclusive, accessible and barrier-free villages.
Secretary Taha Haaziq spoke on the importance of inclusive governance and urged panchayats to actively involve persons with disabilities in decision-making and community development activities.
The sessions focused on the accessibility challenges faced by persons with disabilities in villages and discussed practical solutions to improve access to schools, anganwadis, panchayat offices, parks, playgrounds, temples, churches, community halls, hotels, markets, public toilets, roads and other public places.
