Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, on Sunday, said that whenever the differently-abled got the opportunity, they showed their talents.
He cited the examples of sage Ashtavakra, medieval philosopher Socrates, scientist Stephen Hawking and Jagatguru Swami Ram Bhadracharya.
Chief Minister Yogi added: “In the Para Asian Games held in China, our para athletes have won 111 medals.”
The chief minister addressed the World Disabled Day programme organised at the Atal auditorium of Dr Shakuntala Mishra National Rehabilitation University on Sunday.
He said, “The performance of the differently-abled is always better compared to the general public. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given a new term ‘divyang’ instead of ‘viklang’ to honour the differently-abled individuals worldwide.”
The chief minister further said that Prime Minister Modi had implemented the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act in the country in 2016 and the state government had fully complied with the Act.
He pointed out that the state government had increased the budget for schemes related to the welfare of divyangjan.
Initially, divyangjans used to receive a monthly pension of Rs 300. Currently, the government has increased it to Rs 1,000 per month, Yogi pointed out, adding that approximately 10 lakh divyangjans in the state are benefiting from this facility today.
Yogi also stated that in the budget for 2016-17, there was a provision of only Rs 312 crore for the welfare of divyangjan in the state but currently, the state government has increased it to Rs 1120 crore.
Previously, the differently-abled suffering from leprosy used to receive a pension of Rs 2,500 while the present state government has increased it to Rs 3,000, he added.
“In the year 2022-23, artificial limbs were successfully distributed to 3,05,000 divyangjans in the state. Additionally, the distribution of 8,000 motorised tricycles has been done in all 80 Lok Sabha constituencies of the state,” the chief minister said.
He pointed out that the state government allocates Rs 40 crore annually to the Transport Department for the travel of divyangjans. Along with this, marriage incentive amount has been provided to 4,342 divyangjans in the state.
Chief Minister Yogi said that the medical grant amount for divyangjan within the state had now been increased to Rs 10,000 and the state government was facilitating cochlear implant surgery with a financial assistance of up to Rs 6 lakh. He said in the budget for 2023-24, an allocation of Rs 60.48 crore had been made for this purpose.
The chief minister stated that initially there were three government shelter homes for the mentally challenged in the entire state – in Meerut, Bareilly and Gorakhpur. Currently, he said, the government had taken steps to establish six new centres.
Chief Minister Yogi emphasised that efforts are being made to provide maximum opportunities for imparting higher education and technical education to divyangjan.
Dr Shakuntala Misra National Rehabilitation University, along with Jagatguru Divyang University in Chitrakoot will also be made a state university, he added.
“Uttar Pradesh is the first state in the country where two universities for divyangjan are operational,” he pointed out.
Chief Minister Yogi inaugurated an exhibition put up by social organisations and special schools during the state-level awards distribution programme. Additionally, he honoured individuals/institutions, employers and divyang employees who have done excellent work in the field of empowerment of Divyangjan, with state-level awards.
Moreover, he also distributed artificial limbs and assistive devices to divyangjans. He also honoured meritorious students of special schools.
In the programme, Minister of State for Backward Class Welfare and Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (Independent Charge) Narendra Kashyap, Chief Secretary Durga Shanker Mishra, Principal Secretary (Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities) Subhash Chandra Sharma, Vice-Chancellor of Dr Shakuntala Mishra National Rehabilitation University, Professor RKP Singh, teachers, students, and other dignitaries were present.
