Maya announces several sops for disabled

Lucknow, Dec 3: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati today announced several sops for the disabled in the state, including government sanction in schools and institutes to mark the international Day for Disabled.

The government also constituted a four-member high-level committee headed by UP Development Advisory Council chairman and Rajya Sabha member Satish Chandra Mishra to look into the matter relating to non-implementation of the announcements made by the government on previous occasions.

Ms Mayawati, in a function held at her official residence here this morning, announced a hike in the government grant to individual physicially and mentally challenged children enrolled in government schools and institutes from Rs 500 per month to Rs 850 per month.

Besides this, the Chief Minister said that an additional Rs two crore has been alloted for the promotional benefit on the marriage of disabled people, while Rs one crore has been sanctioned for the maintenance of schools and workshops for disabled, along with four buses.

The government has also decided to waive Rs 2 per fee taken from disabled for multi-purpose identity card.

Ms Mayawati, also distributed state-evel awards to the disabled people and those working for them, She said officials, employees and teachers working in the special schools and institutes would be imparted refreshers course in national institutes for which Rs 20 lakh would be earmarked in the budget. She said Rs 10 for each disabled individual would be added in the budget per year for the purpose of their pension.

The UP government has already hiked the monthly pension from Rs 150 to Rs 300 given to the disabled whose monthly income was up to Rs 1000. At present, the governemnt has fixed a target to provide 5.66 lakh disabled persons monthly pension of Rs 300.

''The government would also start Bachpan daycare centre in eight other districts in the state, which presently being run at eight places in UP,'' she said, adding that very soon the disabled would be selected for pension under the Manyawar Kanshi Ram integrated Urban Development Scheme.

Earlier, special children from different institutes and schools here a colourful dance and music programme.

The Chief Minister also gave away awards to 24 people for their dedication in the field of disability, which includes Divisional Commissioner of Gorakhpur and District Magistrates of Shahjahanpur, Pratapgarh, Faizabad, Barielly and Bhariach.

UNI