Manipur News

MNS:- Shri Mukul Wasnik, Minister for Social Justice & Empowerment inaugurated the event “ANTARCHAKSHU – The Eye Within” here today. Speaking on the occasion the Minister said that the event highlights areas of education, financial access and equal employment opportunities. This event will provide the participants insights into the intricacies of the daily lives of the visually impaired. The Minister further added that the Government is taking several steps to see that the life of the Person with Disabilities are in such a manner that they are able to enjoy equal opportunities and equal right with all others. Last year in August we inaugurated the Indian Sign Language Research & Training Centre (ISLRTC) at Indira Gandhi National Open University. We are also going to make our National Institutes in to centers of excellence. We are also in process of setting up of a National Center for barrier free environment and universal design. Such an initiative on similar lines have been taken in the recent past. I look forward for active cooperation from all those who have been working in this sector and I would like to appeal to younger people especially the student community to join hands with us, so that we are able to sensitize the society at large and help in the process of creating an inclusive society. After the inauguration the Minister was the first participant in the activity zone of Antarchaksu and went through the experience being blindfolded. He experienced the challenges of walking on an uneven and obstacle-ridden simulated footpath, finding cities of India on a tactical map, typing with a screen reading software, and the fun of a penalty shootout with an accessible football. The three day event has been organized by the Xavier’s Resource Centre for the Visually Challenged, Mumbai, Equal Opportunity Office of the Jawahar Lal Nehru University, New Delhi, National Institute for the Visually Handicapped, Dehradun, Saksham Trust, New Delhi and Sightsavers. Present on the occasion were Secretary, Department of Disability Affairs, Smt. Stuti Kacker, Joint Secretary, Shri Pankaj Joshi and other dignitaries.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/antarchakshu-providing-insights-into-the-intricacies-of-the-daily-lives-of-the-visually-impaired/

MNS:- The Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal NAK Browne, inaugurated the Directorate of Air Veterans today. The Directorate would be committed to looking after the pensionary and welfare aspects of all retired Air Force personnel. Inaugurating the Directorate, the Air Chief said “It gives me great pleasure to dedicate the new Directorate to the Air Warriors, who have contributed so much to the growth of the IAF. The Directorate would provide value added services to both our retiring as well as retired air warriors and coordinate all aspects, hitherto being handled by different directorates”
The institution of Directorate of Air Veterans is an effort towards bringing under one roof, the various departments dealing with different aspects of Air Veterans, so that, the IAF veterans do not have to approach different agencies for their welfare and pensionary problems. This directorate will function under the Air Officer-in-Charge Administration (AOA), that would be headed by an Air Vice Marshal who looks after the responsibility of Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Accounts) and would be re-designated as Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Accounts and Air Veterans) henceforth.
To give focused attention to the needs of Air Veterans, this single window to approach IAF for assistance with respect to pensionary and welfare issues, will deal with various Civil Government departments on matters pertaining to Veterans of the IAF, so that issues affecting them are taken up in a consolidated manner effectively.
The Directorate will also operate through a website called ‘http://iafpensioners.gov.in’ for grievances related to pensionary aspects.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/iaf-inaugurates-directorate-of-air-veterans-for-retired-iaf-personnel/