Dedicates land for construction of CRC phase-II

Port Blair, Jan 27: The Union Minister for Social Justice & Empowerment, Dr. Thaawar Chand Gehlot has called upon the people to extend cooperation to the Government in implementing the Government schemes meant for Persons with Disabilities (PwDs). No scheme can be successfully implemented without the participation of the people, he said, while presiding over the inaugural function of the Composite Regional Center for Skill Development, Rehabilitation & Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (CRC) held in the auditorium of TGCE here today. With people’s participation, developmental activities of the Government are carried out with transparency, hence people should be part of those activities, he said.

The Lt. Governor A&N Islands and Vice Chairman, Islands Development Agency, Admiral D K Joshi, PVSM, AVSM, YSM, NM, VSM (Retd.) was the chief guest while the Member of Parliament, Shri Kuldeep Rai Sharma was the guest of honour. The Principal Secretary (Fin & Rev), Shri Vikram Dev Dutt, Ex-MP, Shri Bishnu Pada Ray, Adhyaksh ZPSA, Shri Subir Chander, Jt. Secretary, DEPwD, MSJE, GoI, Dr. Prabodh Seth were among others, who graced the function. 

Expressing gratitude to the A&N Administration, particularly the Lt. Governor for providing a building to run the Center and a 2 Ha land for construction of CRC building, the Minister informed that all kinds of facilities (aids and appliances) will be made available for the divyangjan in the Center, beside providing education and skill development trainings to them with the objective to empower them and enable them to be economically self reliant and serve their parents. The Center will benefit the 7000 divyang in the Islands, he said in his presidential address.

Briefing about his Ministry’s activities, the Minister informed that under the leadership of Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi, the Govt. has launched various schemes for the divyangjan. The Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment is providing 6 types of scholarships to divyang students, which include Pre-matric and Post-matric scholarship, scholarship for Oversea Studies, Doctorate, PhD and free coaching for competitive exams. So far 50,000 divyangjan have utilize these scholarships and are pursuing their higher education. Many of them have already got employment. The Ministry also provides skill training for divyang to make them self reliant and bears the expenditure for their conveyance to and from the place of training. Divyang are being provided financial assistance with only 4 to 5% interest loan to set up their self employment ventures. Under SIPDA scheme, facilities are being made available such ramps, lifts, escalators etc at railway stations, airports, bus terminus, educational institutions etc for their easy access, the Minister said, urging the Administration to ensure these facilities are also available in the Islands.

The Minister further said that Divyang are also being provided aids and appliances like hearing aids, walkers, tripod, crutches, elbow crutches smart cane, universal braille kits etc. So far, in 9000 camps across the country, 15 lakh divyang have been provided with such aids and appliances and Rs. 925 crore has been spent, he said. Under the UDID Scheme, Universal Disability Identity Cards (UDID) are being provided to divyangjan online. With these cards, divyangjan can avail benefits anywhere in the country, he said, asking the divyangjan to approach the concerned Authority for the required certificates for issue of UDID.

The Minister also informed about the law enacted by the Govt., namely ‘The Rights of Persons with Disability Act, 2016’, which came into force in 2016, providing 5% reservation in Govt. and Govt. aided institutions of higher education for divyang to pursue higher education in all disciplines such as BA, B.SC, MBBS, etc. besides 4% reservation in Govt. Services which provides opportunity for them to get employment and to bring them into the mainstream. He proudly announced that the Ministry has found its place in the Guinness Book of World Records on seven occasions for its services to the differently abled persons.

Earlier, the Minister along with the Lt. Governor inaugurated the CRC- Phase–I, at Brookshabad by cutting the ribbon and unveiling the plaque. The Member of Parliament, Shri Kuldeep Rai Sharma, Principal Secretary (Fin & Rev), A&N Administration, Shri Vikram Dev Dutt, Adhyaksh ZPSA, Shri Subir Chander, Ex-MP, Shri Bishnu Pada Ray, social workers and Divyangjan were present on the occasion. The Minister accompanied by the Lt. Governor visited the various halls, which offer rehabilitation services for all categories of persons with disabilities. The Minister also distributed assistive devices to a few Divyangjan present at the CRC, Brookshabad.

Thereafter, the Minister alongwith the Lt. Governor visited Bargat Line, Chakkargaon and dedicated CRC site (Phase –II) for the construction of CRC, phase-II. Andaman Nicobar Administration has provided 2 ha. of land for the same. 

Speaking on the occasion, the Lt. Governor expressed gratitude the Minister for setting up the Center in the Islands, which was a long felt need of Islands’ divyangjans and for a long time, the Administration has been striving to provide the full range of rehabilitation services to the divyang. He said that with the coming up of the Center, services like physiotherapy, occupational therapy, special education etc will be provided to the divyang. They will also be imparted skill development training for their overall development and economic empowerment, to enable them self reliant progress in the days to come. This Center will benefit them to a great extent, he said.

The Member of Parliament, while speaking on the occasion informed that with the inauguration of the Center by the Minister and the Lt. Governor, many problems of Islands’ divyangjan and their parents will be solved. He urged the Administration to provide a special bus for the conveyance of divyangjan to and from the Center, which will be of great relief to them.

The Principal Secretary, while speaking on the occasion, lauded the efforts of Department of Social Welfare, A&N Administration and the National Institute for Empowerment of Persons with Multiple Disabilities (NIEPMD) Chennai in setting up the Center and expressed hope that the 7000 divyangjan of the Islands would directly benefit from the Center and will be brought into the main stream of the society.

Briefing the gathering about the activities of the Center, Dr. Prabodh Seth said the Center will provide health facilities, education and skill development training for the divyangjan for their overall development and economic empowerment. All kinds of aids and appliances will be made available at the Center, he said. 

Earlier, Ms. Geetika Sharma, Secretary (SW) welcomed the gathering and the function concluded with the word of thanks, proposed by Dr. Himanshu Das, Director, NIEPMD Chennai.