
Govt officials with disabilities to get 4% quota in housing pool
The Directorate of Estates under the Ministry issued an office memorandum on Thursday applying the reservation.
'In order to promote the rights of People with Disabilities, laid down in the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act (RPWD), 2016 the Directorate of Estates, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has decided to adopt the reservation of 4% for the allotment of GPRA to eligible Government servants,' it said.
Those Central government servants who have benchmark disabilities, as laid down in the RPWD Act, will be given priority for allotment of GPRA every month, it said. In order to be considered for accommodation, all government servants can participate in the monthly online bidding process carried out by the Directorate of Estates.
'The eligible PwD applicants would be given priority over the unified waiting list for both initial allotment/change of GPRA. The Unique Disability ID (UDID) card issued by the Government will be a valid document for proof of disability,' the OM said.
According to government sources, when a government servant joins as an ASO, it takes about 15 years to be allotted a home due to the shortage of housing. As of now, the waiting period for some categories is up to 18 years, an official said. Some government servants who have disabilities are forced to stay in hostels and away from their families due to the lack of housing, the official said.
Overall, the Directorate of Estates manages 1.02 lakh GPRA units across 355 locations in 61 cities.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Fibre2Fashion
an hour ago
- Fibre2Fashion
Trump's penalty talks create unease in Indian textile industry
In what many see as a major escalation of trade tensions, US President Donald Trump on July 30 announced a sweeping 25 per cent tariff on all goods imported from India even as India's competitors, including Pakistan, Vietnam, Bangladesh and Turkiye, were levied lower tariffs of 15-20 per cent. The move has sparked concerns across sectors in India, especially after Trump also mentioned of an additional, unspecified penalty related to India's ongoing trade relations with Russia, specifically its purchases of crude oil. US President Donald Trump announced a 25 per cent tariff on all Indian imports. The move is compounded by Trump's warning of an unspecified penalty tied to India's ongoing trade relations with Russia, particularly its purchase of crude oil. The lack of clarity around the unspecified penalty has created unease in Indian business circles, especially among apparel exporters. While the announcement was made without detailing the nature of the additional penalty, industry leaders and policymakers are concerned over its ramifications and long-term implications. Reacting to the latest development, India's Ministry of Commerce and Industry issued an official response, as reported by various media outlets. The statement emphasised that the Indian Government is closely examining the implications of the US President's announcement. 'The Government is studying its implications. India and the US have been engaged in negotiations on concluding a fair, balanced and mutually beneficial bilateral trade agreement over the last few months. We remain committed to that objective,' the ministry reportedly underlined. The statement also reassured stakeholders that national interests would be protected. 'The Government attaches the utmost importance to protecting and promoting the welfare of our farmers, entrepreneurs, and MSMEs. The Government will take all steps necessary to secure our national interest, as has been the case with other trade agreements, including the latest Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement with the UK,' the ministry reportedly added. Adding another dimension, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, just a day after Trump's tariff announcement, underlined Washington's dissatisfaction with India's continuing imports from Russia, as reported in certain sections of the media. 'India's purchase of oil from Russia is most certainly a point of irritation,' Rubio reportedly said speaking to a radio channel. Experts are thus viewing Trump's tariff imposition not just through the lens of protectionism, but as part of a broader geopolitical agenda. Some analysts believe the punitive measures reflect the US' discomfort with India's increasing strategic autonomy and its deepening economic engagement with Russia. Of particular concern to Indian exporters is the ambiguity surrounding the 'unspecified penalty' mentioned by Trump. The lack of clarity on this additional measure has created unease in the business circles. Sudhir Sekhri, chairman of the Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC) , reflected this sentiment, stating, 'The penalty is a grey area, and we hope the Government of India (GOI) will negotiate this with the US…' Echoing similar concerns, Rajeev Gupta, joint managing director of RSWM Ltd, earlier told Fibre2Fashion , 'Indian entrepreneurs and manufacturers are resilient, and we are confident that business momentum will be consistently rising with planned strategies. What remains crucial is clarity on the tariff position against China,' even as he added, 'A more pressing concern is the undefined penalty clause linked to India's ties with Russia, which adds a layer of uncertainty.' The timing of this development is critical, as both countries have been actively engaged in negotiations for a mutually beneficial trade agreement. India's recent efforts to diversify trade relationships, including the signing of the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) with the UK, many feel, signals a broader strategy to reduce dependence on any one market even as they added the US nonetheless remains one of India's largest trading partners, and any disruption in this relationship could have far-reaching implications for key export sectors such as textiles. 'The Free Trade Agreement with the UK opens up varied opportunities and is a welcoming move,' claimed an industry player interacting with Fibre2Fashion, who expressed apprehensions over the penalty ramifications if not sorted out soon. However, as things stand now, the Indian exporters seem to be adopting a cautious approach, a wait and watch policy to see how things unfold in the days to come as the steep duty imposed by US could hurt nearly half of India's exports, as per some estimates, adding to which is now the threat of additional penalty. Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DR)


New Indian Express
3 hours ago
- New Indian Express
KPCC president's post decision left to high command: Minister Satish Jarkiholi
BENGALURU: While his name is doing the rounds for Congress state president, Yamkanmaradi MLA and PWD Minister Satish Jarkiholi spoke exclusively to TNIE and addressed speculation about his potential appointment. 'It is left to the party high command to decide, but we need to remember that it is very important for the party that all sections have to be taken along,' he said. 'I believe in Basavanna, Ambedkar and Kuvempu's concept of equality and have practised it in my political life.'' Responding to criticism that the Congress was failing to attract youngsters in the below-18 age group nationally, as compared to rival BJP, Satish Jarkiholi said the party has proved it wrong in the Shiggaon bypoll where the Congress candidate defeated a former BJP chief minister's son. In Chikkodi constituency too, the Congress managed to attract the younger segment in large numbers, rivalling the BJP in the parliamentary seat. 'The Shiggaon model of inclusiveness can be used across the state to attract the youth in larger numbers, if the high command gives me an opportunity,' he said. Asked about the 2028 assembly polls in which the Congress is expected to be pitted against the collective might of the NDA (BJP+JDS) and some have voiced criticism about the party's performance in such a scenario, he expressed confidence that it would do well. 'We now have about 140 seats, and need just 120 to form the government, we will do well in 2028 and retain our seats,'' Jarkiholi said. On what he would do for the party's success in North Karnataka if he becomes KPCC president, he said he would be the first president from that region in about 15 years after Dr G Parameshwara, Dinesh Gundu Rao and DK Shivakumar. He said the party has done well in North Karnataka this time, and they will have to ensure that the numbers are retained in 2028 too. Asked about how to increase the party's dominant Lingayat community vote share, considering this has been spoken about at several party fora, he said that just announcing Basavanna as the cultural icon of the state might not be enough. 'We received sizeable Lingayat votes this time as Lingayats are voting Congress in greater numbers than before,' Jarkiholi said. With the party's national Ahinda push after the National Backward Classes meeting in New Delhi, where they are looking at a possible Mandal 2.0, he said, 'Congress has always enjoyed the support of Ahinda, there may have been some communication issues in expressing it.'' During Mandal 1.0, the Congress had come out a big loser. About his reputation as a rational leader, and asked if he would push rationalism into the party space if he became president and also criticism that rationalism may not have many takers in the public space, he said, 'We will stick to the party's priorities in the party space and rationalism in personal space.''


Time of India
14 hours ago
- Time of India
Road digging without PWD nod to be banned to curb accidents: Goa CM Pramod Sawant
Porvorim: Underscoring the state's road safety crisis, chief minister Pramod Sawant said that the current road accident fatality rate exceeds that of Covid-19. 'People would stay at home for the fear of Covid-19 when one to two people lost their lives every day,' Sawant told the House. 'Now, on an average, two people die in road accidents in Goa every day.' Replying to the calling attention motion on rising accidents, the CM said that state govt will soon impose a 100% ban on road digging without prior permission from the PWD. A circular to this effect will be issued shortly, he said. The calling attention motion was moved by MLAs Vijai Sardesai, Carlos Ferreira, Viresh Borkar, Venzy Viegas, Yuri Alemao, Cruz Silva, and Altone D'Costa. The motion pointed to the rising number of fatal accidents attributed to poor road maintenance despite Supreme Court directives and state govt orders. Sawant acknowledged that nearly 50% of accidents in Goa are due to poor road conditions and signal issues, with a lack of coordination among departments being a primary reason. 'Roads repaired by one agency are often dug up soon after by another,' he said. To address this issue, Sawant said govt will recover road digging and repair costs from contractors who proceed without the PWD's permission. The chief minister also announced that utility ducts for cabling and piping works will be made mandatory during the construction of major roads, a measure aimed at preventing repeated digging. Sawant said that stress will be laid on strengthening road engineering to improve construction standards. A specialised team has been formed to identify accident-prone black spots across the state, enabling targeted interventions in high-risk areas, he said. Govt has already taken several initiatives in compliance with the guidelines of the Supreme Court Committee on Road Safety, Sawant said. He said these include the restoration of crash barriers, construction of standardised speed breakers, implementation of speed limits, installation of traffic signboards and road markings, and median plantation projects. He said show-cause notices have been issued to defaulting contractors, with rectification work being carried out at contractors' expense during the defect liability period.