Corporates should address employment needs of PwDs Wasnik inaugurates ‘Enable India 2010’

The Union Minister of Social Justice & Empowerment, Shri Mukul Wasnik has said that the Government and corporate should join hands to meet the employment needs of the people with disabilities (PwDs). He said that the employment needs of the PwDs are a major social and economic challenge, and to meet this challenge, we should concentrate our efforts to change the mind-set of the people, besides eradicating the negative attitude towards these people. He was inaugurating the “Enable India 2010”, an International Conference and Exhibition at the Scope Convention Center, here today. The theme of the conference is “Challenges of Inclusive Growth - Empowering Persons with Disabilities”.

Speaking on the occasion, Shri Wasnik said that it is unfortunate that the employment rate of the PwDs has decreased from 42.7 per cent in the early 1990s to 37.6 per cent in the early 2000s. As per rough estimates, less than 1% of the posts in the public sector are filled by these people, he said. “This conference is thus important as several senior executives from large corporates are participating in the Conference to try and make a difference” he said and added that the task before us is noble and we all should join hands in integrating workers with disabilities into the workplace and to overcome the barriers.

Shri Wasnik said that though it may not happen overnight but the Government is absolutely committed to make it happen. “Together, I know we can make a difference and for this we need to think creatively and out of the box’, the Minister asserted.

The Minister said that we are committed to provide equal opportunity to all in securing access to credit and to employment opportunities and added that the Government is mandated to provide reservation in employment to persons with disabilities. He informed that a Special Recruitment Drive was launched on 27th November 2009 to fill up the backlog vacancies reserved for the persons with disabilities existing as on 15.11.2009 by 15.7.2010. Top priority has been accorded for this matter, he added.

He said that the Conference is a very special and unique initiative to bring together major employers to sensitize them about the benefits of hiring persons with disabilities. He complimented the Utthan Prayash Foundation for being sensitive in recognizing this vital issue and taking a lead in this direction. He applauded the National Trust, an autonomous body under the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment for taking a lead role in supporting this event as a knowledge partner.

Through Enable India 2010, Utthan Prayash Foundation and National Trust aims to take up the challenge to sensitize the corporate, especially public sector, regarding the potential of PwDs with their developmental abilities.