BHUBANESWAR: The Odisha government has asked all districts to complete the statewide survey of children with disabilities (CwDs) by the end of December.
The ambitious exercise being undertaken by the Social Security and Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (SSEPD) department will cover all 21 categories of physical disabilities among children up to six-year-old.
The survey will help create a robust data bank that will guide evidence-based interventions, expand early therapy support and help design targeted programmes for children requiring special care. In an official communication to all district social security officers (DSSOs), deputy secretary of the department SK Behera has directed field officials to ensure completion of the exercise by December 31 without fail. “Accurate and comprehensive data will enable the department to undertake proper statistical analysis and design effective need-based programmes for early care, therapy and support,” the order stated.
The DSSOs have been asked to coordinate closely with Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) functionaries to ensure door-to-door coverage. ICDS supervisors and anganwadi workers will identify children, collect information and facilitate parental consent, including consent for photographs, wherever required.
The department has already released funds to all districts with instructions to utilise the money strictly in line with the approved guidelines. The district officials have also been advised to conduct awareness programmes to sensitise parents and caregivers about the importance of the survey and encourage them to provide accurate information.