Negi asks DMs to ensure curfew passes for caregivers of persons with disabilities

State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) Ramesh Negi has written to district magistrates to ensure that curfew passes are issued to the caregivers of disabled people.

This is the second such letter written by Negi. The first letter was written on April 1. "It has come to notice that persons with disabilities (PWDS) are still facing problems to get their e-passes and in many cases e-passes are being rejected by the issuing authority/ data entry operator citing remarks ‘not required’," Negi said in the letter dated April 4. The persons with disabilities are applying for e-passes in the category of ''Any other Essential Service exempted by Government''.

The letter said no services are specified for caregivers of PWDs in the dropdown meant for Type of Service, which might be a cause for rejection by the e-pass issuing authority.

"A large number of PWDs are not able to access essential services such as food, ration, medicines, etc. in the absence of caregivers. Therefore, it is advised to issue instruction/direction to the e-pass issuing authority/ Data Entry Operator to consider "Caregiver for PwD" as essential services while processing applications for online e-pass," it said.

The letter also said that e-passes for caregivers should be processed on priority.

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