Kohima, Apr 8 (PTI) The Nagaland State Disability Forum (NSDF) on Monday urged all the political parties and candidates contesting the Lok Sabha polls in the state to include policies and programmes for the welfare of persons with disabilities (PwDs) in their election manifestos.
The appeal comes following the release of the ‘Manifesto: For and by Citizens with Disabilities’ in the light of the general elections 2024 envisioned by the National Disability Network (NDN) and National Committee on Rights of Persons with Disabilities (NCRPD), the NSDF president Vikengunu Fatima Kera said during a press conference here.
She said that Nagaland has 29,361 PwDs in general, while the Chief Electoral Officer Nagaland has said that 6,707 PwDs are registered in the electoral roll.
Stating that NSDF supports the manifesto brought out by the national bodies for PwDs, she said, “All political parties should consider us as part of the development agenda.” “The PwDs are being neglected in all sectors of life for so long and we no longer can wait and watch our rights denied,” she said.
She said that NSDF along with NDN and NCRPD want the political parties to consider at least ten of their demands, which include five per cent budgetary allocation for the disabled, providing health insurance policies for all PwDs, providing accessible and inclusive public and private buildings, products, services, public transportation facilities and communication systems.
NSDF General Secretary, Ashe H Kiba and Joint Secretary Ngaugongbe highlighted the other demands such as social security in the form of one nation one pension standard of Rs 5,000 per month, socio-political inclusion, economic participation by providing access to work for small, large and medium scale enterprises, gender equality, providing accessible and sports infrastructure for para-athletes.
The NSDF officials also asserted that they are serious with their demands and would be soon holding separate meetings with all the candidates in the fray in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls in Nagaland.
“These demands encapsulate the essential needs of persons with disabilities, which any incoming government must address or prioritise,” said the forum’s general secretary Kiba.
The Election Commission of India is taking measures to facilitate the registration and voting of eligible persons with disabilities by providing necessary assistance and NSDF commends these efforts and hope they result in enhanced inclusion and representation for persons with disabilities in the electoral process, she said.
The forum also asserted that they would continue to make follow-up actions right after the declaration of the election results. PTI NBS SBN
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