DRAG moves HC over disability job quota

NT Reporter

Panaji

Disability Rights Association of Goa (DRAG) president Avelino Dsa on Monday said it has approached the High Court over non-implementation of the mandatory four per cent reservation for persons with disabilities in government employment.

Dsa alleged that the government departments have not only failed to implement mandatory job reservations for PwDs, but also maintain employment records and address issues affecting the members of the community.

“Goa has around 1,000 schools with an estimated workforce of about 30,000 employees. Based on the mandatory four per cent reservation, nearly 1,200 persons with disabilities should be employed in the education sector. However, neither the Education Department nor the Directorate of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities is aware of the actual number of disabled employees,” Dsa told reporters.

Stating that government rules require every department to submit annual data on the number of persons with disabilities employed and the backlog of vacancies, DRAG demanded that the Education Department make the data public within one month.

Dsa also alleged that
appointments are being made on contract and
empanelment basis without ensuring reservation
for PwDs. Referring to government corporations, he said one corporation has around 2,700 permanent employees but is not maintaining the mandatory reservation quota.

He said the government should identify and fill backlog vacancies for persons with disabilities in
all corporations and departments.

Dsa also demanded an increase in the monthly social security assistance for PwDs, stating that
the present amount of Rs 2,000 is inadequate in view of rising living costs and inflation.

He also demanded action over the recent garbage dumping incident in Mapusa and urged
authorities to hold civic bodies accountable for illegal dumping.