State creates platform for business and differently-abled job seekers
Kolkata: The state government will develop a common platform for interface between the business chambers and the different stakeholders working with the differently-abled in order to augment disability employment in the state .
“According to the latest study, 1.3 crore differently-abled persons are employable but only 34 lakh are employed, revealing a huge gap. We feel many of these persons have the potential to be employed but they were denied. The chambers should exert pressure on your members and other organisations under your aegis to recruit disabled persons,” said Shashi Panja, minister-in-charge of Women and Child Development and Social Welfare (WCD & SW) while addressing a workshop of ‘Employability of Persons with Disabilities’ .
The workshop marked the convergence of the WCD & SW department with that of the Industry, Commerce and Enterprises department where Panja is also the minister-in-charge. Senior state government officials from both the departments attended the workshop in which 11 NGOs working with persons with disabilities and representatives from various business chambers were present. The minister advocated for creating an office environment with inclusivity and urged the NGOs working in this area to prepare a database of those that feel they have the potential to get employed. She urged for more participation in the dedicated employment fair which is organised by WCD & SW every year in December to commemorate the occasion of International Disability Day. Companies hire persons with disabilities from the fair. Sanghamitra Ghosh, principal secretary, WCD & SW, said that interface between the job seekers and creators is of utmost importance for making the specially abled persons economically dependent.
“We have learnt from our experience that a job fair of one or two days is not enough. Creating jobs for the differently abled requires sustained efforts. All stakeholders in their own way have to take this forward,” she added.
