PANAJI
T he State Commission for Persons with Disabilities has directed the Directorate of Panchayat to amend the Goa Panchayati Raj Act to ensure that one post is reserved for a Person with Disabilities in the panchayat election or one PwD is nominated in each panchayat body by the panch members, post-elections.
“The amendment has to be made under sub-section 4 of section 7 of the Panchayat Raj Act to give necessary effect to the above-mentioned case in the interest of Persons with Disability (PwD),” state the directions from State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities.
The order was issued by Guruprasad Pawaskar on May 17, following representations and follow-ups by the Disability Rights Association of Goa (DRAG) to ensure the participation of PwDs in the local panchayat bodies.
Expressing his joy, DRAG president Avelino D’Sa stated that a proposal was moved to the Central government to nominate persons with disabilities to the panchayats by the National Disability Network and was accepted.
“It is after the Central government directed the State government to look into the matter, that the State government took it up with the State Commission for Persons with Disabilities (SCPD) which, eventually, passed this order,” said D’Sa.
“If a person with disability is nominated to the panchayat bodies, he or she will be able to identify the problems faced by such persons and try to resolve them. We are happy that our demand was heard and has been implemented,” said DRAG president.
He disclosed that the total number of persons with disability in Goa as on March 31, 2018, is estimated at 40,000.
