Faizan Wani
Srinagar, May 24: In a key step towards implementation of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act-2016 in Jammu & Kashmir, the government has appointed grievance redressal officers for persons with disabilities in all 39 administrative departments.
Jammu & Kashmir’s Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities, M. Iqbal Lone on Thursday announced that the government has nominated grievance redressal officers in all 39 administrative departments under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act- 2016 and Rules framed there under.
“It is notified for the information of the public in general and persons with disabilities in particular that all the concerned government departments in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir have nominated grievance redressal officers in order to meet the objectives of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 and Rules framed thereunder,” reads notification issued by Lone.
The exercise is seen as a significant step towards empowerment for persons with disabilities in Jammu & Kashmir.
Under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, every government establishment shall appoint a grievance redressal officer for persons with disabilities for matters regarding employment, promotion etc.
The Rules framed by the Jammu & Kashmir government under the law provide that every government establishment shall appoint an officer not below the rank of a gazetted officer as grievance redressal officer. They also mandate that every grievance redressal officer shall maintain a register of complaints of persons with disabilities.
The register shall contain details like date of complaint, name of complainant, name of the person who is enquiring the complaint, place of incident, the name of establishment or person against whom the complaint is made, gist of the complaint, documentary evidence, date of disposal by the grievance redressal officer and details of disposal of the appeal by the district level committee.