GUWAHATI: Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday said the state government is mulling to hold a recruitment drive for the specially-abled people in the state in a bid to empower them. He was speaking at a programme on the International Day of Persons with Disabilities here in Kamrup.
"In the next cabinet meeting, we will discuss the matter and accordingly, announce the decision," Sarma said.
He added that the state government has already increased the reservation quota for jobs and educational institutions for them to 4%.
The CM also announced several important decisions of the state government for the welfare of the specially-abled people, including developing an Assamese sign language, wheelchairs and tri-rickshaws to all people facing mobility challenges and upgradation of two schools to the higher secondary level.
"We are thinking of developing an Assamese sign language for the benefit of the specially-abled. By December next year all of them will get wheelchairs and tri-rickshaws," he added.
Sarma also said the state government has decided to upgrade the Deaf and Dumb School at Kahilipara and the Blind School at Basistha in the city to the higher secondary level.
The state government has already constituted a separate directorate of social justice and empowerment to expedite socio-economic and academic empowerment of the specially-abled people. The CM said the state government notified it on Wednesday and the directorate started functioning from Friday.
Sarma said, "Celebrations of this kind are opportunities to show our gratitude to the specially-abled people, who have constituted an important segment of our human resource. Such programmes also help in generating public awareness of the needs of specially-abled people."
Minister for social welfare Ajanta Neog said the state government has come up with different welfare schemes for the specially-abled and sought the cooperation of all to make the schemes successful.
