PFB submits memorandum to Chief Commissioner, PwDs to treat UDID card for facilities in railways
PFB submits memorandum to Chief Commissioner, PwDs to treat UDID card for facilities in railways
Ferozepur, June 16, 2023: Progressive Federation for the Blind (PFB), Punjab Branch – exclusively working for the uplifting of visually impaired community – led by Anil Gupta, General Secretary, submitted a memorandum to the Chief Commission for Persons with Disabilities, Government of India, New Delhi, seeking the directions for Railways to treat UDID (Unique Disability Identity ) Card for providing all the facilities, which are available for the persons with disabilities, instead of asking for submission of separate forms introduced by the railways.
Added here, as per RPWD Act, 2016, UDID card can be issued by home district hospital as well as the hospital where the PWD is taking medical treatment. The Unique ID for Persons with Disabilities project is being implemented with a view of creating a National Database for PwDs, and to issue a Unique Disability Identity Card to each person with disabilities. The project will not only encourage transparency, efficiency and ease of delivering the government benefits to the person with disabilities, but also ensure uniformity. The project will also help in stream-lining the tracking of physical and financial progress of beneficiaries at all levels of hierarchy of implementation – from village level, block level, District level , State level and National level.
Speaking to the media persons, Anil Gupta said, It is a matter of regret that Indian Railways is not giving the adequate attention to UDID cards of persons with disabilities for the services available to them in Railways like reservation etc. The visually impaired persons – who come under the category of Persons with Disabilities – had to submit in the separate forms again, ignoring the UDID card issued by the Government of India as a proof of their disability.
Making an appeal to the Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities, Anil Guptashowing the UDID issued to him, quoted the example that when one wants to get the ticket from railways these tickets should be made available on UDID card only. He said, for the convenience of these PwDs, the earlier provision of either railway e-card or concession form should be scrapped and UDID cards already issued by the government should be accepted for all intents and purposes for PwDs.
