International Disabled Persons Day; better attention demanded

International Disabled Persons Day; better attention demanded

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Dec 04, 2019:    Addressing the programme for the International Day of Disabled Persons organised by the district administration, Department for Women and Child Development and Lions Club Gandhinagara at Town Hall on December 3, Tuesday; the Karnataka State Union for Differently Abled Service Organisations have demanded the state government to double the honorarium for special school teachers.   “The teachers are paid  Rs 13,500 a month. The honorarium has not been revised since 2014,” said Vasanth Kumar Shetty, general secretary of the Union.

“The staff at the schools for the differently able should be provided facilities and retirement benefits on the model of aided school staff,” the general secretary Shetty added.

“The Union had planned to boycott the programme, condemning successive governments’ failure to revise the honorarium. As K Leelavathi, director of the Department for Empowerment of Differently Able and Senior Citizens, has assured that the proposal to revise the honorarium has been sent to the government, the decision to boycott was withdrawn,” Shetty said.

“Specially able students above 25 years are not eligible for a government grant in aid. In spite of urging the government not to restrict the age for children with autism and down syndrome, the rules have not been changed,” he added.

The government should set up vocational training centres and rehabilitation centres for such children, Shetty said.

Mid-day meals  :  Members of the Union, said that the Kateel Sri Durgaparameshwari Temple’s supply of mid-day meals to schools for differently able has been stopped. He warned of holding ‘thatte chaluvali’ if the government failed to reintroduce the scheme.

DK DC Sindhu B Rupesh, said that a holistic approach to bring the differently able to mainstream society was needed. She stressed on the need to provide such people an opportunity and environment to bring out their talent and excel in their activities, she added.

Abhilash and Prajwal Lobo, who won gold medals in powerlifting at the Summer Games in Abu Dhabi; Ashley, who was fourth in powerlifting at the Special Olympics in Abu Dhabi; Divya, who won a bronze medal in volleyball at the Special Olympics; Nizamuddin, who won the fourth place in football at an international event in Abu Dhabi; Preetham, who is visually challenged; and is working as a manager in an office; Sasmitha, who is serving the Cheshire Home residents; and Jagadish Poojary, a gym instructor at Sahyadri, were felicitated.

Wheelchairs and other equipment were distributed for the differently abled. There is legitimate need that better care should be extended to differently able and those who work for them.