Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment A. Narayanaswami here on Monday inaugurated the distribution of assistive devices to the differently abled in the Kottayam Lok Sabha constituency.
Mr. Narayanaswami said the Union government was committed to bringing the differently abled to the mainstream by giving them special consideration. As part of it, devices worth crores of rupees were being distributed to the differently abled across the country.
Elevate NISH
Higher Education Minister R. Bindu, who presided over the meeting, urged the Union government to help elevate the National Institute of Speech and Hearing and the National Institute of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation to the national level.
Cooperation Minister V.N. Vasavan delivered the keynote address.
Devices worth ₹96 lakh are being distributed to 1,258 beneficiaries under the Assistance to Differently Abled Persons for Purchase/Fitting of Aids/Appliances (ADIP) scheme. Kottayam MP Thomas Chazhikadan had earlier approached the Parliament Standing Committee on Social Justice with a request to extend the assistance to the differently abled under the scheme to his constituency.
The beneficiaries were identified through a survey organised by the Artificial Limb Manufacturing Corporation (ALIMCO) in association with the Social Justice department.
