Mantralaya turns friendly for differently abled again

Mantralaya, the state administrative headquarters in Mumbai, has decided to go friendly for the differently abled.

Wheelchairs will be kept at both the main entrances to the Mantralaya and attendants will be on hand to guide the differently abled to the respective departments, according to the instructions issued by social welfare minister Rajkumar Badole. The new instructions come into effect from Thursday.

The Supreme Court had, in 1995, asked all states to list the policies aimed at making life better for the differently abled. In the 1990s, Mantralaya had enabled such policies for a while. However, these were discontinued after a while.

The government is now keen to bring back these policies. A single window cell to accept petitions from the differently abled will also be shortly opened on the ground floor at Mantralaya. These petitions will then be sent to the respective departments for action, say officials.