Govt to set up welfare board for disabled: Rangasamy

Puducherry, Dec 3: The Puducherry administration will soon set up a welfare board and has earmarked a sum of Rs 51 crore for the disabled, Chief Minister N Rangasamy said today.

Speaking at a function organised to celebrate the International Day for Disabled here, Mr Rangasamy said the administration would take immediate steps to implement three per cent reservation for disabled in government jobs.

The Chief Minister also announced a series of assistance including an insurance scheme through the Social Welfare Department, cell phones for the blind and an assistance of Rs 200 per month towards petrol expenses for three wheelers provided by the government to the disabled.

He said there were 18,950 disabled persons in the Union Territory and the administration had earmarked a sum of Rs 51 crore for their welfare.

Mr Rangasamy said the government would consider setting up a recreation club for the disabled and provide a monthly stipend of Rs 800 to those undergoing technical training in the disabled rehabilitation centre here.

He said the administration was keen to provide proper education to the disabled candidates in the Union Territory and the government would bear the entire tuition fees of a blind candidate pursuing studies in other state.

The enhanced financial assistance would be provided from next month, he added.

Reacting to the Federation of Physically Handicapped Association President's remark that the government was not concentrating on the welfare of the disabled, Mr Rangasamy said, ''if any other states are providing more than what Puducherry provides for the disabled, the government would take steps to deliver more than what they are providing.'' Speaking on the occasion, Puducherry Lt Governor Mukut Mithi stressed the importance of incorporating at least one disabled person as a member of the self-help groups to ensure economic development of them.

He said though there was an Act to provide three per cent reservation to the disabled in government jobs, only 0.1 per cent of them were employed. He stressed the need of setting up exclusive self-help groups for the disabled.

UNI