The National Trust under Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment in collaboration with their key partners organised the conference ‘Inclusive India Initiative: Towards an Inclusive India’ for intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDs) on June 7. The objective behind the initiative was to include people with IDDs in the mainstream including, education, employment.
The conference was inaugurated by Thaawarchand Gehlot, the Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment, who asserted the role of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam and the Divyangjans as being an integral part of our society and called upon the people to take advantage of the 10 schemes of The National Trust. He even mentioned how his Ministry has provided skill development to divyangjans through Divyangjan Vitta Vikas Nigam along with scholarships for studying in India and abroad. The provision of aids and assistive devices through nationwide camps where devices worth Rs 500 crores have been distributed.
On the occasion, a vision document was released along with a few MoUs of the National Trust were signed and exchanged with their key partners. The initiative will engage 2000 corporate sector organisations; public and private, for creating awareness during the current financial year.
The initiative comes as an attempt to facilitate the realisation of equal opportunities, protection of rights and full participation of individuals with IDDs into the fabric of the society. There are three core focus areas of the initiative: Inclusive Education, Inclusive Employment and Inclusive Community life. Inclusive Education would be executed on pan-India basis. Association with government and private organisations will be explored for making the infrastructure of educational institutes accessible and inclusive, by providing necessary mobility aids, assistive devices, accessible information and social support.