BHUBANESWAR: The State Government has decided to fund uniforms for all children attending special schools, as a part of Project Samarth, launched to identify people with disabilities. Each differently-abled student will be allocated ` 750 per annum for the uniform, from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund. The State has two government-run special schools while the rest are run by district Red Cross societies and NGOs. The government will also organise single window camps under Bhima Bhoi Bhinakhayam Samartha Abhiyan campaign to identify and issue disability certificates to all differently-abled persons in the State. Doctors at the camps will examine the extent of disability and issue certificates accordingly. “There are around 10 lakh people in the State who are physically challenged. While half of them have already got their certificates, this campaign is aimed at providing certificates to the remaining people. Not just disability certificates, income certificates and travel concession cards will also be provided to them at these camps,” said Arti Ahuja, Commissioner-cum-Secretary of Women and Child Welfare Department. The Government has also decided to lend money to the differently-abled under the Differential Rate of Interest (DRI) scheme. “Sub-committees of banks would be present during these camps to facilitate loans to the persons with disabilities,” Ahuja said. The data collected from these camps would be fed into computers, to check forging and duplication of disability certificates.The camps that started from October 18 will end on December 2. The second phase of the Abhiyan will begin after the polls. The aids and appliances will be distributed among the identified persons, Ahuja said. An amount of ` 11.3 lakh has been provided to each of the districts for purchasing aids and appliances from Artificial Limbs Manufacturing Corporation of India (Alimco) and NIRTAR.
Comments
0 comment