BHUBANESWAR: With no special provision for coverage of persons with disabilities (PwDs) under Prime Minister Awas Yojana (PMAY), the state government has decided to collect district-wise list of such people living in kutcha houses but not covered under the scheme.
This is one among several demands of Odisha Vikalanga Mancha, Odisha which was discussed at an inter-departmental meeting chaired by secretary of social security and empowerment of persons with disabilities (SSEPD) Bhaskar Sarma at the state secretariat recently.
A representative of Housing and Urban Development department explained about the provision of coverage of PwDs under PMAY and stated that inclusion of beneficiaries are made on economic criterion and there is no special provision for PwDs under the scheme.
The meeting decided to obtain the district-wise list of PwD beneficiaries under the scheme in the state within two months for necessary action. It was decided to provide five per cent reservation as has been provided by Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act (RPwD Act), 2016 in allotment of kiosk/stall at newly constructed and vacated vending zones to PwD applicants.
This will be however in the same commercial terms and conditions as applicable under the programme.
After detailed discussion by the representatives of Revenue and Disaster Management department it was decided that eligible landless PwDs will be provided with homestead land on priority basis most preferably adjacent to their current location of activity under Vasundhara scheme and the list of such PwDs will be provided by Odisha Vikalanga Mancha to the department duly recommended by concerned district collectors.
Since, there is no target at present available under the scheme for PwDs in the state, it has also been prioritised to look into the matter at a micro level for which steps are required to be taken at village level.