The State government was committed to the welfare of the differently abled, for it had spent Rs. 15 crore in Coimbatore district alone to benefit 12,792 persons, said Agriculture Minister S. Damodaran at a function organised on Friday at the Collectorate.
The Government paid Rs. 1,000 each to 3,078 differently persons in monthly maintenance charges, Rs. 19.80 lakh to 1,267 persons as education assistance Rs. 1.64 lakh to 63 persons as reading charges, Rs. 2.55 lakh to 83 persons as subsidy towards loan, Rs. 11.75 lakh to 36 persons as wedding assistance, Rs. 145.60 lakh to 163 persons as loan and much more.
Mr. Damodaran said that with the help of service organisations the Government also ran three early intervention centres in the district. And, to run the centres it had granted Rs. 10.98 lakh. It had given Rs. 1.50 crore through the constituency development fund to purchase aids and appliances for the differently abled.
He also listed out the various measures the State Government had taken for the differently abled persons’ welfare. The district administration had organised the function to give away modified two-wheelers to 188 orthopedically challenged persons. To purchase the vehicles, the Government had allocated Rs. 37.70 lakh.
He also said that the Chief Minister Jayalalithaa had increased the differently abled’s monthly assistance from Rs. 1,000 to Rs. 1,500 a month – an announcement she made in the 2014-15 budget speech.
A release from the district administration said that Collector Archana Patnaik, Mayor S.M. Velusamy and Members of Legislative Assembly were present.
