Akshaya Babu was sitting to the right of the stage, all dressed up and waiting for her turn to go up and dance. Every time a new song was played, she clapped enthusiastically, her eyes shining.
The 18-year-old pre-vocational student of Villiappally Buds School at Vadakara was at the Vyloppilly Samskrithi Bhavan here on Thursday to take part in the Buds Fest. Fancy dress was another event which she was scheduled to be part of.
Various events
As many as 134 students from 64 Buds schools across the State took part in events such as solo dance, group dance, painting, fancy dress, and light music.
The fete was inaugurated by Minister for Local Self-Government K.T. Jaleel. The Minister said there were nearly 25,000 mentally challenged children in the State.
Kudumbasree aimed at bringing all these children to Buds schools. It also aimed at starting rehabilitation centres for differently abled children.
Constant training and support would help bring out the special talents of these children in various fields. However, it required proper and timely intervention. Similarly, plans were on to provide some kind of training to mothers of Buds students. Training would also be provided to teachers.
He said local bodies could not ignore the problems of differently abled people. In the next fiscal, considerable amount would be allocated to local bodies for the development of the differently abled.
The government would focus on such problems during the Second People’s Plan during the 13th five-year plan period, Mr. Jaleel said.
Counselling centres
Counselling centres under Kudumbasree will be started in all districts to provide pre-marital counselling and thereby bring down marital discord and divorces. The first such centre will begin in Malappuram. The scheme was expected to cost Rs.1.5 crore annually, he said. Mr. Jaleel released a monthly magazine Keralathinte Kudumbasree by handing it over to Kudumbasree executive director S. Harikishore.
Magician Gopinath Muthukad addressed the children and did a card-trick.
