A.P. to spend Rs. 2,000 cr. for differently abled

Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has announced the government’s plans to spend close to Rs. 2,000 crore for the welfare of differently abled people in the State in the next four years. The government was also seriously considering a proposal for increasing reservations for the disabled from the existing three per cent, he said.

Addressing a meeting here organised in connection with the World Disability Day on Wednesday, Mr. Naidu said the government had resolved to construct homes for the differently abled in each district with the support of voluntary organisations and the course of action would be announced soon.

The government was mulling a comprehensive plan for welfare of more than 12 lakh disabled people and the measures included creation of separate tracks in public places, ramps and lifts at all government offices, free access to all places including parks, he said.

“My government is with you and we will strengthen your (physically challenged) hands through self-employment schemes,” the Chief Minister said.

He reminded that the theme of the World Disability Day was “Sustainable Development-The promise of technology. It was the need of the hour to use technology to empower differently able people for sustainable development of the State, he said.

Presiding over the meeting, Minister for Child, Disabled Welfare and Mines Peethala Sujatha said that her department would accord priority to nutritious food for mothers, loans to support self-employment schemes for disabled and provide employment in public and private sector.