SHILLONG, June 17 – The Social Welfare Department of Meghalaya failed to utilize 85 per cent to 100 per cent of the Central funds available under the National Programme for Rehabilitation of Persons with Disabilities in the State, the report of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India placed in the State Assembly has pointed out. Despite the nominal budget allocation of eight per cent from 1998 to 2003 for implementing the People with Disability (PWD) Act, 1995, the department failed to utilize 55 per cent of the same, the report stated.
The CAG report observed that this showed the Social Welfare Department’s apathy in discharging its responsibilities spelt out by the PWD Act. However, the department clarified that the funds could not be utilized due to the late appointment of community based and multiple purpose rehabilitation workers. The CAG report highlighted that at the instance of the Chief Secretary, Rs. 1 crore was withdrawn (December 2002) by the nodal department from the unutilized fund under NPRPD and deposited into civil deposit during the same month. The amount is still lying outside the NPRPD account.
The report said that the department had achieved little in the matter of prevention and detection of disabilities as well as providing education and employment to children and persons with disabilities. Activities of government departments and non-governmental organizations dealing with matters of disabilities remain unassessed due to shortfall in holding the minimum number of meetings of the State Co-ordination and State Executive Committees.
According to the CAG report, survey, investigation and screening of children was never carried out to ascertain the cause of disabilities and to identify high-risk cases. The department also could not develop educational infrastructure for children with disabilities due to failure in supply of special books and equipment to such children, developing new devices and removal of architectural barriers.
Further, the department did not provide employment to 288 candidates registered with the special cell by identifying posts in establishments, the report added. Despite availability of funds, screening of children at risk and expectant mothers was not carried out through the community based and rural workers to avoid occurrence of disabilities, the report further pointed out.