CHENNAI: Minister of Social Welfare Geetha Jeevan on Thursday said the DMK government is committed to ensuring the welfare of the visually impaired, and all the demands of those staging protests will be considered. Replying to concerns raised by opposition leader Edappadi K Palaniswami, she said, “Following a 2012 Supreme Court verdict, teachers are appointed only based on competitive exam results.
However, our government is committed to ensuring their welfare. A total of 22,300 visually challenged students are benefiting from increased educational assistance provided by the government. There has been a consistent rise in fund allocations for the physically challenged welfare department — from Rs 667 crore in 2019-2020 to Rs 1,106 crore in 2023-24.”
“Fund allocation for the physically challenged person welfare board has risen and Rs 5.5 crore has been spent over the last 33 months. A total of 1,000 visually challenged students have received devices worth Rs 14,000,” she said.