Progressive Federation for Blind submits 14-demands memorandum to Dr.Baljit Kaur,Cabinet Minister

Ferozepur, August 27, 2022 (Harish Monga):  A delegation of Progressive Federation for Blind (PFB) Punjab led by Anil Gupta, General Secretary met Minister for Social Security, Women and Child Development, Punjab Dr.Baljit Kaur and submitted a 14-demands memorandum to uplift the visually-impaired community, in the state.  The delegation also met the Director Social Security Department, Punjab in this regard and handed over a copy of the demands.

Gupta said the Minister assured that efforts will be made to fulfill these demands immediately stating that all the demands discussed in the meeting are acceptable.

General Secretary, PFB, Anil Gupta said that due to the non-acceptance of the demands of the blind, the comprehensive development of this section has not been possible. The organization continues to strive for its constitutional rights through correspondence and meetings with the government to resolve these demands. He said that necessary efforts should be made at the government level,  to make the visually impaired an integral part of society.

Talking about the demands, Anil Gupta said, among the major 14-demands, the main demand includes the upgradation of the Blind School at Jamalpur, Ludhiana – a government institution for the blind by providing all the required infrastructure including the staff, printing of books in Braille and conveyance allowance for the disabled employees.

Dr. Rajesh Mohan, Prof Jagdeep Singh of Government Barjindra College Faridkot and Subhash Chander Adhana of Govt Girls College, Ludhiana, and Dr.Rajesh Mohan were also present at the meeting.

Dr.Rajesh Mohan apprising the Minister said, there is apathy towards the subject of music in the department of higher education as no recruitment of tabla instructors was done in the colleges after 1995, while 34 Tabla instructors were working in the government colleges, and as of now only 10 tabla instructors are in the colleges of Punjab. He further said, in 1999, the Punjab government had appointed 3 blind professors in Government Colleges but their rights are not being realized by the department.

After this, the delegation met the Director Social Security Department, Punjab, and asked to send detailed details regarding the demands of the organization. So that these details can be sent to the respective departments of the government to fulfill the demands.