The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Differently-abled exempted from profession tax

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Saturday, Aug 18, 2007
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Differently-abled exempted from profession tax

Charge that State is ignoring differently-abled persons dismissed
Efforts on to earmark quota in promotions, provide loans to them

HYDERABAD: The Government has issued orders modifying the AP Tax on Professions, Trades, Callings and Employment Act 1987 that exempts differently-abled persons, with 40 per cent disability of any kind, from paying profession tax. Earlier, under the Act, only totally crippled persons were given the facility, Women and Disabled Welfare Minister N. Rajyalakshmi said at a press conference here on Friday. The order is deemed to have come into force from June 15, 1987.

Mrs. Rajyalakshmi lashed out at Telugu Desam Party president N. Chandrababu Naidu for showing concern for the disabled persons now. “During his nine-year rule, the TDP Government never bothered to improve the wellbeing of the disabled people,” she noted.

Terming as ‘strange’ the charge that the Government was ignoring the ‘just’ demands of differently-abled persons, the Minister said the YSR regime had enhanced the disabled welfare budget to Rs.100 crore in 2007-08 from Rs.21 crore in 2003-04.

The Government was paying disabled pensions to all eligible persons instead of the previous regime’s condition that only those above 18 years would be considered for pensions.

Highlighting the initiatives taken in the last three years, she said that it was strictly implementing the 3 p.c quota for disabled persons in employment and APPSC Group I and II services. Efforts were on to earmark a quota in promotions and also provide loans to the disabled at four per cent interest. Refuting the TDP chief’s charge that land belonging to the Government Hostel for Blind was allotted for the Malakpet flyover in the State capital, she said Hyderabad Collector had agreed to allot 2.3 hectares in Mallepally belonging to the Employment and Training Department for establishing the Disabled Welfare Directorate.

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Andhra Pradesh