Volume 4 Issue 6

Feature

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  All kind of Disabilities at this entry only!: Delhi Metro
  

  For disabled people Delhi Metro was a promising beginning. For the first time in this nation's history, they were not forgotten in planning and construction of an important public utility. It raised a million hopes, but this may already be coming to an end, says Parvinder Singh based on the results of an access audit of Delhi Metro's Phase II by National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People (N.C.P.E.D.P).

Interview

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  Delhi Metro has a solemn commitment towards its commuters, including disabled people: Anuj Dayal
  

  “Construction work has just started on Delhi Metro Phase-II and stations will take several years to be completed. I feel it is unfair to criticise the stations even before they are complete,” says Anuj Dayal, Chief Public Relations Officer Delhi Metro Corporation (D.M.R.C.) in an interview to Parvinder Singh.

News

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  We will do everything to take care of our disabled citizens: Railway Minister
  

  In a belated yet positive development, Railway Minister Lalu Prasad has finally acknowledged the demands of disabled people that were presented to him before the Railway Budget by promising that the Railways would take full care of their interests.

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  National Policy for Persons with Disability released on M.S.J.E. website
  

  The National Policy for Persons with Disability has been released by Ministry for Social Justice and Empowerment (M.S.J.E.) on its website in Hindi and English languages.

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  Chhattisgarh becomes the first state to frame a policy for disabled people
  

  Chhattisgarh has become the first state in India to frame its own disability policy, which in its approach and scope has surpassed the National Policy for Persons with Disabilities recently announced by the Union Government.

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  Posts for disabled people to be identified soon: Manipur Chief Minister
  

  In a promising development for the nascent disability movement in Manipur, which has been witnessing public protest to demand implementation of the Disability Act, Chief Minister O. Ibobi Singh has issued directives to the State administration to identify posts that could be reserved for disabled candidates.

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  Disability Law Unit – South launches advocacy campaign for disabled friendly elections
  

  As the States of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Union Territory of Pondicherry prepare to go for Assembly elections in April and May 2006, Disability Law Unit South has launched a campaign to make the election process disabled friendly and submitted demands to major political parties to address disability concerns in their election manifestoes.

• Disability Movement to penetrate in the poorest districts of India
  

  The agenda of disability is set to receive an unprecedented pitch with the initiation of a project by National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People (N.C.P.E.D.P.) in partnership with National Disability Network (N.D.N.) that will reach out to empower disabled people in 105 poorest districts in six States of India.

• Master Plan Delhi-2021 in its finalisation phase
  

  The Master Plan Delhi 2021 (M.P.D.-2021) is in its final stage with Delhi Development Authority (D.D.A.) Special Committee likely to approve it soon. But it will need the approval of the Urban Development Ministry and the Union Cabinet before the final plan can see the light of the day.

• World Bank to award grants to innovative ideas on employment generation for disabled people in Pak
  

  The first Pakistan Development Marketplace, “Mazoori Majboori Nahin”, will be held on 15 March 2006 in Islamabad to support pioneering ideas and proposals with the potential of improving lives of disabled people by creating livelihood for them.

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  I.T.C. undertaking initiative for inclusion of disabled people
  

  With the Indian economy galloping at the pace of eight per cent, there is an increased demand for skilled human resource in the industry and service sector. It is with this in view that the I.T.C. Welcome Group of Industries has undertaken a multi-pronged initiative for inclusion of disabled people in its workforce.

• India will become second in the world in glaucoma cases by 2020: Study
  

  Global cases of the eye disease glaucoma are expected to reach 60 million by 2010 and 80 million by 2020 and people in Asia and Africa will be worst affected, says a recent research study.