CHENNAI: Demanding an increase in the monthly assistance provided to differently-abled persons to Rs 6,000, nearly 14,000 people and members of Tamil Nadu Association for the Rights of All Types of Differently Abled and Caregivers (TARATDAC) staged a protest across the State on Tuesday.
In Chennai alone, more than 800 people protested at the Commissionerate for the Welfare of the Differently Abled from 10 am on Tuesday.
From there, the protestors were taken to Madhya Kailash by city police, where members staged another protest due to a lack of basic facilities. As per official data, there are 14 lakh PwDs in TN. Of these, over 9 lakh receive monthly assistance from the government. Till 2022, it was Rs 1,000 for persons below 75% disability and Rs 1,500 for those above the cap.
But, due to demand and protests by the PwDs, the government in 2022 increased the monthly assistance by Rs 500 to both categories. However, TARATDAC claims that “this amount is insufficient and is lower compared to other states”.
The monthly assistance for PwDs in Delhi, Haryana and Telangana is over Rs 4,000 and Rs 5,500 for those living in Puducherry. Interestingly, the monthly assistance in Andhra ranges between Rs 6,000 and Rs 15,000 as per the percentage of disability.
Explaining their demand, B Jansirani, general secretary, TARATDAC said, “We’ve been demanding the government to hike the assistance for five years now. The government that is at the forefront in other schemes and claims to ensure social justice to all, must also comprehend the plight of PwDs and increase assistance like AP. We’re not just vote banks, but also people deprived of necessities, which the DMK government must meet.”
Furthermore, she pointed out that the police had no facilities prepared, like water, restrooms and food for protestors before arresting us.