Rehan Qayoom Mir
Srinagar, Jul 29 : Jammu and Kashmir Handicapped Association staged a protest at Press Colony in Srinagar, demanding the fulfilment of their budgetary and welfare demands.
The protesters, consisting of physically challenged individuals, voiced their concerns over the government’s inaction regarding their long-pending requests.
Speaking to the news agency, the protesters highlighted their primary concerns, including the immediate release of pending pensions, special recruitment drives, and increases in monthly pension amounts.
They added that the association, formed in 2000 under Article VI of the 1993 Act, presented a comprehensive list of demands, which include the immediate release of pending pensions, delayed since March 2023, and a special recruitment drive for qualified disabled persons.
They had also called for an increase in the monthly pension from Rs 1,000 to Rs 5,000 and the implementation of vertical reservation for persons with disabilities in all government jobs.
However, they said that their demands have fallen into deaf ears, thereby leaving them to lurch at large