Acid victims benefit under reservation

A government order to this effect was issued on Tuesday enhancing the reservation to 4 per cent from 3 per cent for differently abled persons in state public services, public sector undertakings, boards, corporations, educational institutions under all managements including government, local bodies and aided managements including universities. 

The blind and those with low vision, and the deaf and the hard of hearing, would share 1 per cent each in the total 4 per cent while those suffering from locomotor disabilities including cerebral palsy, leprosy cured, dwarfism, acid attack victims and muscular dystrophy would share 1 per cent and the rest 1 per cent would be shared between those afflicted with infirmities including autism, intellectual disability, specific learning disability and mental illness, multiple disabilities including deaf-blindness, in posts identified for such disability. 

Activists working with acid attack victims welcomed the move. “This will mean that acid attack survivors can be protected by disability rights and benefits,” said Pragya Prasun, Founder, Atijeevan Foundation.