BHUBANESWAR: In a first, 44 children with disabilities from the State will fly in a special flight from here on Wednesday. Minister of Social Security and Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities Ashok Chandra Panda will flag off the flight.
“Wings to the dreams of divyang children. Forty-four divyang children from Odisha will experience the joy of flying high aboard a special flight from Bhubaneswar on January 22,” Ministry of Civil Aviation said in a tweet. Commendations to Airports Authority of India (AAI), Air India, Alliance Air, Odisha Government and Swabhiman for making this happen, it added.
Alliance Air is a regional airline and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Air India, while Swabhiman is a State-level organisation working towards empowering persons with disabilities. Joint Secretary of Ministry of Civil Aviation Usha Padhee thanked the AAI for waiving all charges for the special flight.
“Grateful to CMD of Air India and CEO of Alliance Air for generous acceptance of the request. AAI extended its nicety by waiving all charges. Thanks to government of Odisha for proactive support and hats off to Sruti Mohapatra for continuous persuasion. I feel humbled to be a part,” Padhee said in a tweet.
Swabhiman chief executive Sruti Mohapatra said she was in contact with the Centre since 2017 to arrange a special flight for children with disabilities.
“The aspiration of children with disabilities is very low and to boost their confidence and widen their exposure, the special flight will take off from Biju Patnaik International Airport (BPIA) at 9.30 am on Wednesday and return after a 40-minute tour,” Mohapatra said.
This is for the first time that the underprivileged children, including 20 girls, many of whom are first-generation learners, of Bhubaneswar will experience plane ride, she added.