Special persons’ employment quota not implemented

LAHORE
Majority of industrial and commercial units in Lahore are not implementing the Disabled Persons (Employment and Rehabilitation) Ordinance, 1981, under which three percent vacancies should be filled by the disabled.
Recently, the blind and the disabled held various protest demonstrations in the city and urged the government to provide them with employment opportunities. Later, the provincial government directed the City District Government Lahore (CDGL) to ensure implementation of the Ordinance by the private sector.
The CDGL Labour and Community Development Wing has launched a survey of the provincial capital to collect data about the disabled working in the private and corporate sector. Section 10 of the Ordinance says every establishment having 33 or more employees shall provide three percent of employment quota to the disabled persons. As per the CDGL initial survey, a total of 616 establishments (industrial and commercial) were checked where 109,741 people are working. Calculated three percent disabled quota in these establishments is 2,985, whereas only 1,044 disabled persons had been recruited. Sources said the registered industrial units were 405 in which total staff including contract workers was 91,357. Calculated 3pc quota in these units was 2,482, whereas the disabled recruited to these units were 990.
Similarly, the commercial units were 211 in which total staff including contract workers was 18,384. Calculated 3pc quota should be 503 employees, whereas the disabled recruited in these units are only 69, and the shortfall is 434. Sources said the CDGL social welfare district officer has written a letter to all managing directors and proprietors of private industries and businessmen in Lahore in this regard and directed them to implement the Disabled Persons (Employment and Rehabilitation) Ordinance 1981 in letter and spirit in their respective organisations. The letter says: “In case your establishment does not employ disabled person(s)... it shall pay into the funds each month under Section 11, read with Section 25 of the Disabled Persons Rules, 1987 of the said ordinance. In case of non-compliance, legal proceedings will be initiated against you under the ordinance,” the letter warns. DCO Lahore told The News a facilitation desk has been established in the office of EDO (CD) for the disabled persons where facilitators have been deputed on full-time basis.
The facilitators provide copies of new disabled quota jobs advertisements and necessary guidance to the disabled persons.