National Association for The Blind, India (NABI) secretary general K Ramakrishna on Tuesday said that out of the total visually-impaired persons’ population in Odisha, only 10 per cent are getting various Government benefits.
He expressed concern over the status of visually-impaired persons, particularly such students, in the State. He urged the State Government to take prompt proactive measures for their proper education, employment, training and rehabilitation.
“In Odisha, visually-impaired students of Classes IX and X are yet to get books in Braille script at a time when the Right to Education (RTE) Act aims at inclusive education for students, no matter their physical disability or economic background. The Government’s initiative to ensure their economic rehabilitation and employment needs to be intensified,” said Ramakrishna, who on Tuesday came to Odisha to meet various Government officials to discuss the issues relating to visually-impaired persons in the State.
He also raised concern over the vacant posts in the two Government-run blind schools at Burla and Bhubaneswar where 80 per cent and 50 per cent teaching posts, respectively, are lying vacant. He alleged that the posts which are kept reserved for visually-impaired persons in various Government departments and job sectors are being sold out to other persons with help of influential persons.
There are four Acts in the country for the visually-impaired and disabled persons in order to empower them in all fronts, but not a single provision of these Acts is implemented in letter and spirit, alleged Ramakrishna.
Besides meeting the Odisha Primary Education Programme Authority (OPEPA) State Project Director regarding non-availability of books in Braille script, Ramakrishna too met State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities Kasturi Mohapatra.
“We will meet the Chief Minister shortly to apprise him about the real status of the visually-impaired persons in the State,” said Ramakrishna.
Odisha Disabled People Network State coordinator Sannyasi Kumar Behera, among many others, apprised Ramakrishna about the status of visually-impaired persons in the State.