Odisha Channel Bureau
Bhubaneswar: Odisha Women & Child Development Minister Prafulla Samal distributed 100 laptops to students with blindness pursuing higher education at a function here on Tuesday.
The Minister also distributed self employment tool kits to 21 skilled youth with disability in the distribution programme held at the National Career Service Centre for Differently Abled (NCSCDA) at Gandamunda.
Principal Secretary of Social Security & Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (SSEPD) Department Niten Chandra, Director of SSEPD Mansi Nimbhal, Assistant Director (Employment), NCSCDA Ram Kishor Sharma, and other officials were present on the occasion.
Speaking on the occasion, Samal said that the newly created department of SSEPD is trying to the best of its ability for comprehensive development of people with disabilities (PwDs).
Laptop with JAWS screen reader software are distributed to students with blindness pursuing higher education which will connect them with internet technology which will connect them to access information across the world.
He added that Rs. 50 lakhs was enhanced to Rs. 2 crore per annum from this year onwards to provide free laptops to 250 such beneficiaries
.
Chandra informed that opined that the Paradip Port Trust has given Rs. 16,50,000 during the financial year 2017-18 for self-employment tool kits to skilled PwDs, which is quite encouraging initiative under Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).
He appealed that corporate world should utilise at least 5% fund under CSR for the empowerment of PwDs. Odisha is one of the frontline State among six States in the country which has separate department and independent officer for PwDs at block and district level.
Nimbhal urged the students to utilise the given assistance appropriately to become independent and contribute meaningfully in development of country which is very much possible with meaningful active support of PwDs, parents, stakeholders, and society at large.
She informed that in joint collaboration with the NCSCDA, Bhubaneswar pre-recruitment coaching for PwDs has been started for preparing for competitive examinations. A training facility having sitting capacity for 80 PwDs has been established at the NCSCDA with an investment of Rs. 50,00,000, she added.
Sharma informed that about 360 PwDs have been provided free residential skill development training in 2017-18 sponsored by Odisha Skill Development Authority (OSDA) and jointly organised by the NCSCDA and Department of SSEPD.
The beneficiaries opined that these initiatives of the government are very meaningful which will help them become more independent and empowered.
