Shahin Bepari Lambe Panaji
Around 850 persons with disabilities (PwDs) are now employed across government departments, autonomous bodies, including aided schools and colleges, under the four per cent reservation mandated by the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, said Guruprasad Pawaskar, Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities. Additionally, he said that 250 to 300 PwDs have been employed in the private and corporate sectors over the past three years.
He said the state is steadily progressing towards ensuring that the four per cent reservation is fully implemented in the government sector.
Job advertisements now specify the exact type of disability eligible for each post, replacing outdated and officially banned terminology such as ‘physically handicapped’, ‘physically disabled’, ‘specially-abled’ and ‘differently-abled’.
“The post has to be compliant with identified posts mandated by the central government and the state government,” Pawaskar said.
He said that an additional identification process by various state government departments is already underway. He said the Office of the State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities maintains constant follow-up through departmental reports and reminders, ensuring that compliance is no longer optional but mandatory.
Beyond government employment, Pawaskar said the commissioner’s office has facilitated the placement of around 250 to 300 persons with disabilities in the private and corporate sectors over the last three years.
“These aren’t charity jobs,” Pawaskar said, adding, “We urge employers to hire PwDs for skills, not sympathy. The PwD employees deliver value, gaining dignity and independence in return.”
He said over 90 per cent of these placements have been retained, particularly in the hospitality and corporate sectors.
Pawaskar said that not every request results in employment but “the office is able to support most cases, as parents and individuals reach out directly or indirectly for assistance.”
“There is a need to build an ecosystem where persons with disabilities, employers, educators, innovators and the government work together,” he said, adding that it is important to have of a single platform connecting education, employment, entrepreneurship and the corporate sector.
Referring to state support schemes, Pawaskar said that the Divyangjan Swavalamban Yojana is a significant step towards enabling persons with disabilities to become self-reliant, confident and financially independent. “Our goal is to ensure that no disability becomes a barrier to growth, dignity or opportunity.”
