President Pranab Mukherjee today said that, even as the policy framework was strengthened, there was need to reinforce efforts to have better delivery mechanisms for implmentation of schemes and programmes for persons with disabilities, including through effective partnerships with the private sector and civil society.
"Effective delivery can be the only way in which we can see smiles on the faces of those affected by disabilities," he said after presenting the National Awards for the Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities for 2012.
Mr Mukherjee said persons with disabilitie must be enabled through education to get adequate opportunities for gainful employment and their rightful status in society.
"While the goal of inclusive and universal education is being pursued under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, there is also a need to ensure that children with special needs have access to education, by providing the right kind of teaching-learning environment, material in accessible format and barrier-free educational institutions. There is, therefore, an urgent need to train teachers in adequate numbers to provide education to children with disabilities," he said.
He siad there was need to remove physical barriers that do not allow persons with disabilities to have access to various facilities and services.
"Various assistive devices are needed to enable persons with disabilities to lead their lives with independence. Simple aids like hearing devices, limb prosthesis, wheelchairs and Braille writing equipment facilitate mobility and communication, and substantially improve functional capacity. It is essential to make aids and computer software and accessories available to all persons with disabilities at a reasonable cost, so that they have equal opportunity for enhancement and actualization of their inherent potential. Given the widespread and growing use of the internet in various aspects of life, it is vital that at least all Government and public sector websites are made universally accessible," he said.
Mr Mukherjee said economic empowerment of persons with disabilities needed ocused attention.
"Government is mandated to provide reservation in employment to persons with disabilities. All Central Government Ministries and organizations under their control must take immediate and comprehensive steps to ensure that reservation for this category is effectively implemented in letter and spirit. Backlog of vacancies in all establishments in the Government Sector should be filled as early as possible. I also request the private sector to employ more and more persons with disabilities in their establishments and industries. I am happy that today we are awarding employers of persons with disabilities. This shows that private sector can also play a commendable role in appreciating their special abilities," he said.
The President said there was a need to provide training to persons with disabilities so that they could acquire appropriate skills. The government as well as public and private sectors should work hand in hand to improve skill levels of persons with disabilities, thereby enhancing their employability, he said.
He noted that a large number of States had not yet appointed full-time independent State Commissioners for Persons with Disabilities though this ombudsman institution is an integral part of the existing Persons with Disabilities Act and such a mechanism is also envisaged in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD).
He urged State Governments to appoint full-time independent State Commissioners for Persons with Disabilities at the earliest possible and to equip them with the wherewithal to function effectively for grievance redressal of the persons with disabilities.
Mr Mukherjee said that, for many children, the presence of an impairment leads to lack of participation in activities that are part of a normal childhood. Women with disabilities are doubly disadvantaged on account of their gender as well as disability. Elderly persons with disability, in the twilight of their lives, are likely to be neglected and exploited. They need special consideration, he said.
"While addressing the needs of those with disabilities, it is important that attention should also be on preventive measures. The possibilities of children in the 0 to 6 age group being afflicted by conditions that can lead to disabilities, can be reduced by precautionary measures such as immunization at the right age,control of diseases and infections, improvement of hygiene, better nutrition and better access to healthcare. Government anganwadi workers should be specially sensitized and trained to identify children with disabilities to facilitate earliest possible intervention," he said.
He expressed happiness that the Government had created a separate Department of Disability Affairs last year and urged all State Governments to have a similar arrangement in order to give more focus to the issues confronting persons with disabilities.
Source : NET INDIAN NEWS NETWORK , 6th Feb 2013
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