The Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) has launched a comprehensive verification drive to re-examine disability certificates and Unique Disability Identity (UDID) cards submitted by employees who were appointed or promoted under the disability quota. This initiative comes in response to a state government directive issued last year, which was prompted by allegations of fake disability certificates surfacing in the Pooja Khedkar case, leading to widespread scrutiny across all departments.
Scope of the Verification Drive
According to a circular released by the PCMC on Tuesday, a total of 196 employees of the civic body have availed benefits under the disability quota. This group includes a diverse range of positions, from senior officers such as assistant municipal commissioners and executive engineers to junior staffers like clerks, teachers, and beat inspectors, all working across various departments within the corporation.
Document Submission and Verification Process
These employees have been instructed to submit their disability certificates or UDID cards, along with their appointment or promotion letters, by February 10. Manoj Lonkar, joint city engineer of PCMC, explained to TOI, "Following doubts over fake or forged disability certificates, the government instructed all departments to carry out verification and issued a government resolution in this regard. In line with these instructions, we identified employees who availed benefits under the disability quota and asked them to submit the necessary documents."
The submitted documents will undergo thorough verification at the Yashvantrao Chavan Memorial Hospital, a PCMC-run facility in Pimpri. Additionally, employees will be required to undergo physical verification at the hospital, where their disability will be assessed according to prescribed norms. As per government regulations, only individuals with a disability of 40% or more are eligible to avail benefits under the quota.
Consequences of Non-Compliance
The civic body has issued a stern warning that disciplinary action will be initiated against employees found to have submitted fake or forged disability certificates or UDID cards. This also applies if the disability is below the mandated 40% threshold or if the required documents are not submitted within the stipulated timeframe.
Background and Previous Cases
In October last year, the state government issued a resolution directing all departments to complete the verification of disability certificates or UDID cards and submit a report within three months. Lonkar noted that the PCMC could not carry out the process during that period and has therefore initiated it now.
Similar verification drives in other districts have uncovered several cases of fake or forged certificates. For instance, last month, the Nashik Zilla Parishad CEO suspended 18 employees after they failed the disability certificate verification. In December last year, the Beed Zilla Parishad CEO suspended 14 teachers working in ZP schools for failing to submit their UDID cards.
Further highlighting the issue, minister Atul Save informed the legislative assembly in December last year that 21 employees from Pune district were suspended for submitting fake disability certificates. Responding to a question raised by Vadgaon Sheri MLA Bapu Pathare, he added that the government received complaints against 719 employees across the state, all of which are currently under verification.
This verification drive underscores the government's commitment to ensuring transparency and integrity in the implementation of disability quota benefits, aiming to prevent misuse and uphold the rights of genuinely disabled individuals.
