KOHIMA, INDIA, Oct 21: Though the 2001 census had revealed that there were 26,000 disabled persons in Nagaland, the state is yet to have a mandatory disability commission to properly implement the 3 per cent job reservation for them apart from various other schemes.

The state had once appointed a commissioner to look after disabled people. But nobody was appointed in his place after him. This was revealed by Nagaland Parents' Association for the Disabled (NAPAD) at a press conference here on Wednesday in connection with the launching of Badhte Kadam-II - a disabilities awareness campaign, which will be flagged off in Kohima on October 25.

Nagaland had made 3 per cent job reservation for the disabled, which hasn't been properly implemented. There are many other schemes for the disabled which are not reaching the targeted people. Moreover, there are no facilities such as wheelchair or lift for disabled people in government offices, banks and others in the state, said the NAPAD, led by its president Marlong Longkumer, at the press conference.

The NAPAD officials, led by its president and accompanied by its adviser Tali, co-ordinator Purnima Kayina and Julian from Unlock Entertainment, revealed that the state has a separate institution for blind people and deaf people but doesn't have an inclusive institution for disabled people so far. Though some private institutions have come up of late, but they can't do much as they are functioning from rented houses, said the NAPAD team.

This year, the BK-II will cover the remaining three districts - Longleng, Mon and Kiphire.

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com