PSSA Set to Take to Streets Again

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI, Jan 17: Divyangs in Assam are not a happy lot. They accuse the State government of not doing enough for them – be it in case of pension, allowances, increasing registered Divyangs and in the filling up of the vacant posts reserved for them.

Talking to The Sentinel, Pratibandi Suraksha Sangstha, Assam (PSSA) secretary Nripen Malakar said, "Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman did announce the payment of Rs 1,000 to each of the Divyangs of the State for three months during the Corona-induced lockdown. We did write letters to Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and State Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for that money, but to no avail as yet. "In the 2020-21 annual Budget, Rs 168 crore was allocated for Divyangs, besides increasing the number of Divyangs in the State by 10 per cent. The State Social Welfare department has sent the proposal to the Finance department. The proposal has been rejected by the latter."

During the last Durga Puja in the State, Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced payment of allowances to the Divyangs at the rate of Rs 2,000 for each employed and Rs 1,000 for each unemployed Divyangs in the State. "We've submitted a memorandum to the Finance Minister for the promised allowances, but the promise hasn't been kept," he said.

Malakar said that only 1.70 lakh of the 4.50 lakh Divuangs (according to government records) in the State are getting pension. "According to our own statistics, Assam has 9 lakh Divyangs," he said, and added, "We got pension till September 2020".

On the filling of the vacant grade VI posts reserved for Divyangs in various departments in the State, Malakar said, "On December 28, 2020 we were staging a protest in Guwahati. However, the Principal Secretary of the Department of Social Welfare Mukesh Sahu assured us of issuing admit cards to the candidates before January 15, 2021, besides fulfilling other demands. That assurance made us to call off the agitation. The promised date has elapsed. We're going to meet on Monday to chalk out our next course of action."

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