Bhubaneswar: In a bid to make the government websites and information accessible to persons with disabilities (PwDs), the state government has decided to make its web portals disabled-friendly.
The decision was taken at a high-level meeting held under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary Aditya Prasad Padhi to review implementation of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 here Thursday.
Padhi directed all the department officials to make the websites under their purview disabled-friendly. He also directed for full compliance with all the provisions of the Act including making reasonable accommodation in public policies and services, providing support for rehabilitation of disabled persons and creating a barrier-free environment to end all discrimination against the PwDs.
All the departments have been advised to review their existing programmes and schemes and make modifications/adjustments in policies in order to provide support to the PwDs as per the statutory requirement with a focus particularly on 5 per cent reservation in allotment of agricultural land and housing, etc.
District level panels will be constituted for proper implementation of the Act. Padhi asked the officials concerned to complete retrofitting of government buildings in capital at the earliest so that they are accessible to PwDs.
It was decided in the meeting that 10 more towns namely, Baripada, Balasore, Cuttack, Puri, Berhampur, Rourkela, Sambalpur, Bolangir, Jharsuguda, Jeypore will go for accessibility audit and retrofitting of government buildings. Transportation systems including buses, railway stations, airports and bus stops will be made accessible.
The government has also decided to conduct a state-wide training and capacity building programme to make all key officials and extension workers aware of the Act.
The Chief Secretary advised the industries department to hold a workshop with private sector organisations for ensuring at least 5 per cent of workforce in private sector is constituted by persons with benchmark disabilities.
The Health department was asked to ensure that disability certificates are issued on time and PwDs have access to all healthcare facilities including free medicines under Niramaya scheme.
PNN
