47 posts for PWDs filled, 125 recruitments in next 4 months: Centre

Amid concerns over the large number of vacancies at national institutes established for people with disabilities, the government said recruitment for 47 posts have been done while 125 positions will be filled in the next four months.

The information was revealed in a Parliamentary panel report on social justice and empowerment that was tabled in the Lok Sabha on Thursday.

The Union Social Justice and Empowerment Ministry told the panel that it is also pursuing the matter with the Union Ministry of Finance's Department of Expenditure for the revival of vacant posts so that the institutes' services are not hampered and the desired objectives are achieved.

"During (the) last six months, 47 numbers of posts have been filled up and 125 numbers of posts will be filled up by (the) next four months. As regards mentioning of the sanction/actual strength in the annual report of national institutes, all national institutes have been directed to include information sanction/actual strength of posts in the annual report of the national institutes," the ministry said.

The committee had inter-alia cautioned the Department of Expenditure about the impact of the large number of vacancies among the faculty of the national institutes, established to serve people with disabilities.

It had recommended to fill the vacancies at the earliest and establish a system so that the posts are not left vacant for years together.

The committee asked the government to conduct an exhaustive exercise to identify total vacant posts across the Institutes and Composite Regional Centres and ensure that those are filled at the earliest.

It also pointed out that it is imperative that the ministry as well as the state governments have a missionary zeal to serve the people with disabilities such as several prominent NGOs and private organisations, some of which the committee met during its study visits, and strive to functionalise all the intended Institutes and Composite Regional Centres.