Lucknow: North Central Railway (NCR) has expanded employment and skill development opportunities for persons with disabilities, engaging over 300 persons with benchmark disabilities (PwBDs) and providing skill training to 100 youths.
According to NCR officials, the initiative is aimed at promoting inclusion, equal opportunity and social participation in line with the provisions of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act, 2016.
NCR deputy general manager, Atul Kumar Mishra, said: “The railway zone currently has 8,256 contractual personnel working across its departments and units. Of these, nearly 300 are persons with disabilities employed in roles such as automatic ticket vending machine (ATVM) operators, station announcers, data entry operators and one station one product (OSOP) stall operators, among other assignments.”
The programme covers all three NCR divisions. Prayagraj Division has 164 contractual workers with disabilities, while Jhansi and Agra divisions have 92 and 25, respectively. Additional opportunities have also been created in workshops and production units in Jhansi.
Apart from employment, NCR is providing skill training to 100 youths with disabilities through the apprenticeship scheme to improve their employability and career prospects. The organisation also has 784 employees with disabilities in its regular workforce. During 2025-26, 15 persons with disabilities were recruited to permanent positions.
NCR, general manager, N P Singh, said: “Efforts are being made to increase the participation of persons with disabilities across departments and units through targeted employment and skill development initiatives.”
