News

Volume 9 Issue 4 - May 01, 2012

Women and Child Welfare Department to formulate action points for persons with disabilities in Odisha

D.N.I.S. News Network, India: Following the harrowing results revealed by a study ‘Profile on Disability in Odisha’ conducted by Swabhiman, Chief Secretary, B. K. Patnaik has directed the Woman and Child Welfare Department of Odisha to identify the problems faced by persons with disabilities in the State. He has asked the Department to formulate 15 action points to bridge critical gaps in successful implementation of the recommended strategies.

At a high-level meeting on this issue on April 24, it was decided to prioritise activities like intensive awareness campaign on facilities and services available for persons with disabilities; training of teachers at primary and secondary level on Sign Language and regular training modules on disability in training programmes of Government officers in different Departments, including Odisha Administrative Service (O.A.S.).

Other issues that were discussed at the meeting were accessibility to public buildings; reservation of hostel seats for students with disabilities in colleges and universities; providing software for students with disabilities in libraries of all Government degree and pre-degree colleges and devising livelihood interventions to enable people with disabilities to earn their livelihood in the mainstream.