How a society responds to the needs of its disadvantaged people shows its real identity, observed Finance Minister P. T. R. Palanivel Thiaga Rajan while distributing artificial limbs and calipers to physically challenged people at a function held at the Collectorate here on Saturday.
“DMK leaders like late M. Karunanadhi and the present Chief Minister M. K. Stalin have set an example in empowering the disadvantaged people. While the former formed an exclusive department to look after the needs of differently abled people, the latter kept it under his direct control,” he said.
Non-governmental organisations and charitable organisations also played a vital role in the welfare of such people and the government always counted on their service, the Minister said.
All India Marwari Yuva Manch in Sivakasi has taken the initiative to distribute the artificial limbs and calipers to the differently abled people. It organised a camp at the Collectorate last month where physically challenged people registered their names and got the measurements taken for artificial leg or hand or calipers.
About 180 beneficiaries received the customised limbs and calipers on Saturday.
In other places
The organisation had been helping the differently abled people from 2009, distributing the artificial limbs and calipers to 1,400 people so far. This year, it has been undertaking the exercise in Dindigul, Tirunelveli and Sivakasi to cover as many as 780 beneficiaries by this month-end, said Manch president Pankaj Jain.
S. Aneesh Sekhar, Collector; Gaurav Gupta, chairman, Madurai Round Table 99; and R. Mukund, chairman, Madurai Round Table 14, were present.
