IMPHAL, 28 March: According to 2011 census the state has 54110 persons with disabilities and out of those only 21663 have been given certificates said State Commissioner of Persons with Disabilities, Manipur L Nabakishwar Singh Singh, IAS. He was speaking as chief guest today during a one-day Awareness Programme o the Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities held at NIELIT, Akampat, Imphal East.
The awareness programme was organised by the office of the State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities in collaboration with National Institute for the Mentally Handicapped & DDRC, Imphal.
The chief guest further said that certificates for disabled persons were first issued from the social welfare department. Later the certificates are issued by State Medical Directorate as this department has much deeper reaches in all the districts of the State.
He said that the Government has in hand many schemes and facilities for the persons with disabilities like three percent reservation of State Government jobs, marriage incentive, education incentives etc.
The chief guest further expressed that among disabled persons, mentally handicapped persons are mostly left out from getting their entitled benefits, hence he urged that concern NGOs or Government staffs to give a bit more attention to the mentally handicapped persons.
He said that social stigma is another thing that the disabled persons have to be aware of. He said that he is hopeful form the NIELIT faculty to produce more innovative ideas and computer softwares for them to level up with normal person.
Faculty member of Special Education Department, NIMH, Secunderabad Dr Padmavathi who was guest of honour said that their institute has stepped extension programmes to reach out mentally handicapped persons at unreached locations.
Padmavathi further lauded NIELIT for their support in extending computer assisted instruction training and awareness programme from their end.
The awareness programme was attended by Director NIELIT Kolkata, Imphal Th Prameshwor Singh as president
Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/03/mentally-handicapped-worst-sufferers-commissioner/