Minister for Social Justice, Empowerment and Minorities, Social Security, Women and Child Development, Dr. Baljit Kaur said that disability should not influence ones mental ability and time and again specially abled people have proven that nothing could hold them back.

Dr Baljit Kaur was chief guest at one-day seminar organized by the Department of Social Sciences of Guru Nanak Dev University on Equal Rights for Specially Abled Women.

Speaking at the occasion she added that disabled women do not need sympathy but empathy and strong helping hand in the need of hour. She said that education is the biggest weapon that can take such people forward.

”Disabled people and their kin are not well aware of their rights and government facilities that they deserve. It is our duty to ensure that they get the best they deserve. We should ensure that such people do not end up getting mentally weak and that they remain strong, ” she said.

Dr. Baljit Kaur said that various initiatives are being taken by the Punjab government in this regard with which they can make their lives easier. She said that disability should not be considered as a hindrance in development of one’s life but should be taken as a challenge and to reach one’s desired goal.

 She gave example of successful women who despite being handicapped have played an important role in development of not only themselves but also of their families, society and country.

 Earlier the Vice Chancellor of Guru Nanak Dev University Prof. Jaspal Singh Sandhu gave a warm welcome. Convenor of the seminar Dr. Rachna Sharma informed about the purpose of conducting seminar on subject of equal rights of disabled women.

Dr. Baljit Kaur visited various departments of the university and got information about the academic infrastructure of the university.

Other illustrious participants of function included Center for Study of Social System of Jawaharlal Nehru University Prof. Neelika Mehrotra, Prof. Sujata Bhan, Mrs. Shampa Sengupta, Mr. Amarjit Singh Anand, Dr. Satnam Singh, Prof. Bhup Singh Gaur, Dr. Sunil Kumar and eminent scholars were present.

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Disclosing this Mr. Sadhu Singh Dharmsot, Minister for Social Justice, Empowerment and Minorities informed that the Punjab government led by Captain Amarinder Singh has decided to waive off Rs. 50,000 each from all kinds of loans taken by the youth of the state for self-employment through the Scheduled Castes Development and Finance Corporation.

He said that SC Loans are provided by the Corporation to Scheduled Castes and Persons with Disabilities at low interest rates to run their self-employment. The recovery rate of taxes provided by the Corporation to the youth of the state at a lower interest rate is about 77%. He said that the youth of the State were finding it difficult to repay the loans taken forself employment due to failure of trade, death of beneficiary, no earner at home and circumstances arising out of Covid-19.

He said it has been decided to provide this loan relief to the youth to get them out of this problem.

Mr. Dharmsot pointed out that the Punjab government had earlier also waived off the loans of 14260 SC youth to the tune of 45.41 crore. He said that the State Government during last more than 4 years has given loans to the tune of 8202.26 lakh at smaller interest rates to 8662 SCs youth.