Thane Commissioner Fast Tracks Disabled Rights

The Divyang Human Rights Federation organised a protest and an indefinite hunger strike in front of the Thane Municipal Corporation to demand various rights for persons with disabilities, widows, senior citizens, and backward classes. Bharat Jadhav, the founder and National President, led the protest.

The demands that were made during the protest included allocation and expenditure of 5% of the annual budget for the disabled, as per the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016; immediate recruitment for 4-5% of job vacancies; simplification of the verification process for disability certificates; reservation of 5% of houses and commercial stalls in housing schemes, clusters, and Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana; provision of free facilities in Municipal Corporation hospitals; expedited distribution of subsidies for widows and senior citizens; appointment of 5% disabled members in various committees; and waiver of water and property taxes.

Additional Commissioner of TMC, Dr Malvi, issued immediate orders to all relevant departments to take action and directed them to submit an action report by the first week of April.

Vilas Shejul declared support for the protest on behalf of the ‘Arakshan Bachav Samiti.’ Several key figures attended the protest, including Santosh More (Vice President), Chandrakant Patil (Organiser), Vikas Pawar (Thane organiser), Ramesh Patil (Diva City President), and many others from various regional branches.