Centre working to provide equal opportunities for disabled

Union Minister Ramdas Athawale Saturday said the Centre is working for providing facilities to the disabled people to guarantee them equal opportunities and protect their rights. Athawale, who is the union minister of state for social justice and Empowerment, reviewed the schemes of his ministry and their implementation in Assam with its senior officers of the state government.

He also discussed central schemes for the welfare of the rural, ST and SC population. "The ministry is working for providing opportunities and facilities for the disabled people so as to create an atmosphere which will guarantee them equal opportunities to ensure the protection of their rights and enable their full participation in the society," he said.

Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan or the Accessible India Campaign is set to serve the differently-abled community of the country, he said. During the last five years around 13.5 lakh cycles have been provided to divyangs and various assistive devices and aids have been distributed among them AT an expense of around Rs 900 crore.

He said there are around 4,08,000 divyangs in Assam and 1,39,000 of them have been receiving a pension of Rs 1000 every month.

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