Maharashtra makes annual disclosure of data on govt employees with disabilities mandatory

Mumbai, Oct 31 (PTI) All government and semi-government establishments in Maharashtra have been asked to compulsorily publish details of employees with disabilities working with them on their respective websites every year on January 1 to ensure implementation of quota for them.

A directive to this effect has been issued by the state government's Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) Welfare Department.

"The directive aims to ensure effective implementation of the 4 per cent reservation in public employment for persons with disabilities," said department secretary Tukaram Mundhe in a statement on Friday.

A Government Resolution (GR) in this regard has been issued by the department, said the senior IAS officer.

As per the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, and the Rules of 2017, all ministries, departments, offices under their administrative control, heads of departments, and autonomous institutions are required to record information about officers and employees with disabilities in the prescribed format and make it publicly available.

"The objective of this decision is to maintain a transparent and accurate record of employees with disabilities working in government services and to ensure effective enforcement of reservation for them," Mundhe maintained.

The move will help create a uniform database of employees with disabilities across departments and accelerate efforts for their empowerment and protection of rights, asserted the bureacurat.

As per the new rule, all administrative departments and heads of departments will conduct a biannual review of vacant posts reserved for PwDs to ensure backlog vacancies are filled promptly.

The information compiled by departmental heads will be submitted every year on January 1 to the Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities, who will consolidate the data and include it department-wise in the annual report, according to the GR.

Departments failing to submit the information in the prescribed format will face penal action under Section 89 of the 2016 Act, Mundhe cautioned. PTI MR RSY