Plan to set up Rs. 50-cr sports complex for visually challenged.

The State government has been paying special attention to the disability sector. In connection with this, a total of Rs. 45 crore budget has been allocated for the welfare of the differently-abled and senior citizens. Plans are afoot to empower visually-challenged (VH) persons in various fields,

Minister for Women and Child Welfare and Mining Peethala Sujatha has said. She was addressing a packed audience who turned up from across Visakhapatnam and Vizianagaram to participate in the State-level celebrations to mark the 207{+t}{+h}birth anniversary of Louis Braille organised by the Department for Welfare of Differently-abled and Senior Citizens on Monday.

“Apart from increasing pension for the disabled to Rs.1,500 from Rs.500, State government is focusing on establishing homes for visually-impaired in Kakinada and Hindupur. Care will be taken to encourage them to come up in various domains,” Ms. Sujatha assured.

Giving a new ray of hope to the students, HRD Minister Ganta Srinivasa Rao said: “A sports complex exclusively for the differently-abled is proposed to be constructed in Visakhapatnam at a cost of Rs.50 crore. This apart, an educational institution will also be set up in the city to provide higher education to differently-abled persons.

Efforts will also be made to improve the infrastructure at King George Hospital and Collectorate so that the venues will be disabled-friendly.”

Director of Department for Welfare of Differently-abled and Senior Citizens K. Sarada Devi said of the 114 backlog posts under District Selection Committee and 292 under Other than District Selection Committee, only 13 and 36 posts have been filled under respective heads.

According to department heads, the sixth job roster earmarked and reserved for visually-challenged women has been amended to general roster where both men and women will be recruited for the posts available.

Collector N. Yuvaraj gave away Louis Braille - 2016 Awards to Principal of Government Residential School for Visually Challenged Girls S. Nimpton Babu, Ch. Jyothi of GVMC Primary School, N. Annavaram of Hyderabad Central University and Bheema Rao for their exceptional contribution to society.


THE HINDU