The deaf and mute community will take up with the Government the delay in the setting up of the proposed Indian Sign language Research & Training Centre (ISlRTC) despite the lapse of seven years since it was first announced.
The National Association of the Deaf (NAD) plans to make a presentation to the Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment Thaawar Chand Gehlot to demand an autonomous ISlRTC for the benefit of over 800,000 hearing-impaired populations.
“The ISlRTC was proposed in the 11th five year plan. From the very beginning, NAD has been demanding the development of a centre of excellence, as there is an acute shortage of specialist institutes for the hearing impaired,” said AS Narayanan, secretary, NAD.
The UPA Government had first announced the establishment of ISlRTC in 2010-11. It started as the small centre in IGNOU but had to be shut down after two years after as they failed to find teachers.
“Soon after, the Government allocated Rs20 crore for the development of ISlRTC but there was no progress. Recently, the Government suggested the Centre to partner with National Institute for the Hearing Handicapped (NIHH), which is not acceptable to the deaf community,” said Narayanan.
“We demand an autonomous, stand-alone organisation managed by the deaf people, for the deaf people,” said Javed Abidi, Convenor, Disabled Rights Group. leaders from over 50 deaf organisations under the leadership of the NAD and All India Federation of the Deaf have gathered in New Delhi to demand autonomy for ISlRTC.