The India Post, Chandigarh 2nd February, 2009 :The Chandigarh Administration has decided to frame a special scheme of providing booths to physically and mentally challenged persons at nominal rent. The scheme, likely to be notified soon, aims at empowering the poor and disadvantage section of the society.
Decision in this regard was taken by HE, the Governor of Punjab and Administrator UT, Chandigarh, General (Retd.) S. F. Rodrigues. Administrator directed the Finance Secretary, Mr. Sanjay Kumar to frame a scheme in such a manner that there is not much burden on the physically and mentally challenged people who would be the beneficiaries of the scheme. He further asked the officials to treat such scheme not on financial viability but as a social obligation of the Government towards the people, who are not only poor but disadvantaged too.
The scheme would have features, where, the Commercial Booths will be given to physically and mentally challenged persons on nominal rent. Priority will be given to those persons 80% or above disability. Although, persons who have 40% or above disability would be eligible for the scheme.
The Administration shall begin the scheme by allotting the existing booths which are available and in future, depending on the demand Chandigarh Housing Board is likely to construct booths in such manner that the Ground Floor booths could be given to physically and mentally challenged persons where as, the upper floor could be commercially exploited.
Special attention would be paid to persons who are mentally challenged, so that, the booths allotted to them are not misused. There is likelihood of demand of about 500 booths in this category and large numbers of such poor and disadvantaged persons have been meeting the Administrator for help, as a result of which the scheme has been conceptualized.
