Empower the
Disabled, demand Activists
An Interview of Rajnish Kumar Arya
TIMES NEWS
NETWORK
Raipur: Peeved at
the manner in which the government is implementing the state policy on
disability, activists are demanding setting up a separate ministry for
empowerment of persons with disabilities.
Talking to TOI,
on the occasion of International Day of Persons with Disabilities, under the
theme of “Break Barriers, Open Doors: for an inclusive society and development
of all” – disability activist Rajneesh Kumar Arya, said the estimated
population of persons with disabilities in Chhattisgarh is about 38, 31,779.
According to Census 2011 data on disabilities are yet to be published.
Pointing out that education is one of the most effective
tools by which children with special needs could achieve social and economic
empowerment , he said even after enactment of different laws, like the PWD Act
1995, 12 years of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyaan (SSA) and three years of RTE Act,
2010, the situation of education for children with special needs are on margin.
Still about 80 %
of rural as well as 50 % of urban part of children with special needs are out
of reach of education facilities. Under SSA, Arya Said, Rajiv Gandhi Shiksha
Mission has appointed only 177 mobile resource advisors in against of 292. There
are 142 blocks in Chhattisgarh. As per MHRD provision, there should be three
such MRAs in each and every block from each major disability area like visual
impairment, hearing impairment and mental retardation, but in the case of
Chhattisgarh it is just two.
Adding that there
is no district resource centre in the state, the activist said he felt that
there should be some degree courses in state universities, including B. Ed. Special
or M. Ed. Special. “It is a matter of
surprise that not a single university in Chhattisgarh has included a chapter or
paper focusing on disabilities in general education”.
Even SCERT of
Chhattisgarh has not contributed much on this, he said. Arya an expert working
in the field of disability, rehabilitation claimed that inclusion of barrier
free environment for persons with disabilities (PWDs) are on papers and not on
ground in the state. He said even the office of commissioner for persons with disabilities;
at Durg is not barrier free or disabled friendly.
Source : Times of India, Raipur Print Edition, Page no. 2 dated 4th December, 2013
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