Fill vacancies in disabled quota, Athawale instructs officials

The backlog of vacancies in the quota for disabled persons should be filled at the earliest, Union Minister for Social Justice Ramdas Athawale told officials here today.
Athawale held a meeting with officials of Central government organisations and the state government to take a stock of backlog of vacancies in the quota for disabled persons.
Strict action would be taken if these vacancies were not filled speedily, the minister said, speaking to reporters later.
Officials of Railways, Air India, Bombay Port Trust, Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT), Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai, Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation and Maharashtra government were present at the meeting.

Reservation for the disabled has been increased to four per cent from the earlier three per cent, Athawale noted.
"There are 113 vacancies in Railways, 405 vacancies in Air India, 2,573 vacancies in Maharashtra government, 1,750 vacancies in MCGM, 122 vacancies in Thane Municipal Corporation and one vacancy in JNPT (under the quota for disabled)," he said.

Athawale also said that he would press the demand of reservations for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in the private sector.
He informed that Rs 762.85 crore have been earmarked for giving aid to the disabled in the current financial year.
About the demand of farm loan waiver in Maharashtra, he said the opposition parties who want loan waiver should also explain from where the money for it would come.