3.75 lakh differently abled persons provided appliances: Gehlot

Srinagar, Feb 16: 3.75 lakh differently abled persons have been provided appliances across the country as Centre is keen for not only providing skill development training but also ensuring financial support to them, Union Minister Thawarchand Gehlot said today.

"Several camps have been so far conducted across the country since last 21 months and about 3,75,000 persons have been provided appliances. The details about the beneficiaries and aids provided at the camps have been kept available on the Ministry's website," Gehlot said after inaugurating Mega Rehabilitation Camp at Showkat Ali Stadium in Baramulla town, 55 kms from here.

The camp was organised by Composite Regional Centre Srinagar in collaboration with District Administration Baramulla and was also attended by Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Krishna Pal Gurjar. Gehlot said such camps not only serve as important source of awareness for the people, but also ensure transparency and fairness.

The Government is providing pre-matric and post-matric scholarships besides scholarships for studying abroad or for achieving professional degrees to differently abled students, the Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment said. Expressing happiness over holding of the awareness camp, Gurjar highlighted that persons with different abilities need support and affection to make them supportive for themselves and for other people.

He said employment and skill development programmes and other schemes are being taken up with rigorous efforts. The Deputy Commissioner, Baramulla, Yasha Mudgal in her address said there is need for support, affection, rehabilitation measures and adequate training for such people while calling for more efforts in this regard.

She said over 10,000 people with different abilities comprising of 1.2 per cent population are present in the district. Later, the Union Minister distributed free appliances and aids among the persons with disabilities. The pre-identified beneficiaries were provided with 2014 assistive devices and aids, which includes 10 Motorised tricycles, 100 wheel chairs for children, 20 Wheel chairs for adults, 250 hearing aids, 290 Crutches (Axilla and Elbow) and other appliances.

PTI