Disability groups announce protest demanding monthly grant

CHENNAI: Several disability groups have announced State-wide protests at district Collectors and Revenue Divisional Offices on Tuesday, January 24, on the demand to release the monthly grant of Rs 2,000, by the Differently Abled Welfare Department to more than 10,000 persons with disabilities. They have been registered newly and are waiting for more than one year to receive the grant.

"There are at least 10,000 people, who we are aware of grant, but are about 25,000 people who are waiting for the monthly grant. It's just that many of them have not requested again and are just waiting for the government to issue the government order," said S Namburajan, vice-president, Tamil Nadu Association for the Rights of all types of Differently Abled - Caregivers (TARATDAC).

The members said that despite the announcement, the people with disabilities have been waiting since December 2021 to receive the grant. "The fund allocation is being delayed and that is affecting the lives of these people. The allocation needs to be done for the people in each district and district officials need to ensure that all the beneficiaries receive the grant," said disability activist Jansi Rani.

Meanwhile, officials from the Directorate for the Welfare of the Differently-abled said that a government order has been issued but a small error is to be rectified and we will reissue the same for the implementation of the grant. All the waiting list till September 2022 is approved and district officials are being informed. Every eligible beneficiary will be provided the grant from January.