KOCHI: The government will initiate steps to bring the underprivileged, including the scheduled castes, to the mainstream of society, said Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Krishan Pal Gurjar.
As part of social welfare schemes, universal cards will be provided to the differently-abled to ensure uniformity of welfare scheme across the country, he said while inaugurating the distribution of physical aids and assisted-living devices to senior citizens under the Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana (RVY) at the Municipal Town Hall in Thrikkakara near here on Tuesday.
Steps will be taken to make government offices differently-abled friendly by providing ramps and other facilities. The government is providing quality physical aids manufactured by the Artificial Limbs Manufacturing Corporation of India (Alimco) in Kanpur to the differently abled. The plan is to distribute 5.2 lakh physical aids and assisted living devices to the differently -abled in the next three years.
The minister distributed wheel-chairs, spectacles, hearing aids and dentures to the beneficiaries. The camp was jointly organised by the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment and the district administration.
As many as 1,098 physical aids and assisted-living devices worth `26.90 lakh were distributed to 719 beneficiaries on the occasion. The physical aids include 74 walking sticks, 36 crutches, 42 tetra-tripods, 493 hearing aids, 41 wheel-chairs, 97 dentures, 292 spectacles, and 23 foldable walkers.
K V Thomas MP presided over the function. District Collector K Mohammad Y Safirulla, Social Justice Department director P B Nooh, district Social Justice officer Preethi Wilson, Thrikkakara municipal chairperson K K Neenu, Palluruthy block panchayat president C S Peethambaran, Moovattupuzha block panchayat president Mary Baby and others participated in the function.
Free treatment for speech and hearing impaired kids
The Union Government will bear the entire expense of cochlear implant surgeries performed on children belonging to marginalised sections of society, said Union Minister of state Krishan Pal Gurjar. The government has provided assistance to more than 1,000 children to undergo the surgery, which costs around `6 lakh.
The children who underwent the surgery are now leading a normal life, the minister said. He also urged the authorities to organise camps to understand the problems faced by the differently-abled.
To ensure equality
As part of social welfare schemes, universal cards will be provided to the differently-abled to ensure uniformity of welfare scheme
Steps will be taken to make government offices differently-abled friendly by providing ramps and other facilities.