BHUBANESWAR: With the Election Commission of India (ECI) asking all States to initiate barrier-free measures for the Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) for voting, State Government has directed all district social service officers (DSSOs) to make provisions of wheelchairs at election booths.
The department of Social Security and Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (SSEPD) has empanelled suppliers for all districts and issued supply orders for delivery of wheelchairs at block and urban local body (ULB) levels.
As per the direction of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), each polling station will have ramp facility along with the provision of at least one wheelchair. Since the State has 37,606 booths, the supply order has given to procure as many wheelchairs which will be delivered at the block and ULB points. Payments for the wheelchairs would be made from Bhima Bhoi Bhinnakshyama Samarthya Abhiyan (BBSA) scheme.
Of 12.4 lakh PwDs in the State as per the 2011 census, 4.7 lakh are eligible voters. The CEO has also asked the State Government to provide volunteers who can help PwDs at the polling stations. The district election officers have also been asked to prepare constituency and polling station wise maps of PwD in coordination with the officials concerned and the process is likely to be completed soon. The election authority has identified PwDs under different categories, including physical disabilities, speech and sight disability. Arrangements would be made accordingly to see that these people exercise their franchise without difficulty.