The Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has decided to allocate ₹100 crore from the National Handicapped Finance and Development Corporation (NHFDC) to the A.P. government towards skill development programmes. It has also agreed to consider setting up another branch of the National Institute of Mentally Handicapped (NIMH) at Amaravati, according to the Union Minister of State, Ramdas Athawale, on Monday.
At a press conference he said that, a ‘technical hitch’ about providing funds to A.P. from the finance corporation was brought to his notice and he talked to the authorities concerned to release the funds to not only help in skills development but also in providing assistive devices.
There were about 2.68 crore disabled persons in the country with 12 lakh in AP, of which about six lakh were being provided with pension of ₹1500 each.
He wanted the government to enhance the coverage of the pension scheme. In the last three years of NDA rule, 5,500 disabled welfare camps have been held in which 7.5 lakh were helped with various assistive devices including prosthetic limbs. The Ministry provided 50% subsidy towards the skill development and self-employment programmes. Chairman of A.P. Differently Abled and Senior Citizens Assistance Corporation G. Koteswara Rao in a representation made to the Minister, urged him to provide funds for skills training of 1 lakh differently abled.
