Union Minister for Social Justice & Empowerment, Shri Thawarchand Gehlot distributed assistive devices to Divyang Jan, at a distribution camp held in Pune today.
Addressing the gathering, the Minister said that the scheme to distribute assistive devices to Divyang Jan, is one such scheme for the removal of poverty. The Minister spoke of the recently launched Vayoshree Yojana, a ‘Scheme for providing Physical Aids and Assisted-living Devices for Senior citizens belonging to BPL category’. He said that the assistive devices provided under this scheme will help Senior Citizens to overcome their age-related physical impairment and lead a dignified and productive life with minimal dependence on caregivers or other members of the family. The ambitious Scheme, the first of its kind in the country, is expected to benefit around 5.2 lakh senior citizens over a period of three years. Under the scheme, the beneficiary will receive assistive devices costing around Rs. 7,500 free of cost. The assistive devices are of around seven types, comprising hearing aids, wheelchairs, tricycles, walkers, dentures and eye-glasses.
The Minister expressed satisfaction that the Ministry has accomplished historic achievements in the last four years, including the establishment of five Guinness World Records.
This Pune camp was the 304th mega-camp, each such camp providing benefits worth more than 1 crore rupees to more than 1,000 citizens. A total of 6,842 camps have been organized nationwide so far, providing benefits worth more than 500 crore rupees to more than 10.55 lakh people. In Maharashtra 675 camps have been held, giving welfare benefits worth 51.51 crore rupees to 87,000 beneficiaries. 1,152 people are being provided 1,758 assistive devices worth 89.56 lakh rupees in the camp today.
Speaking of Sugamya Bharat, the Minister said that public places are being made accessible to Divyang Jan and senior citizens under the “Accessible India” scheme. He added that 100 buildings in each of 50 big cities have been selected and work begun in order to make them accessible. 180 buildings in Maharashtra have been identified and work has begun to make 142 of these buildings accessible.
Speaking of motorized tricycle which is given to Divyang persons with more than 80% disability, the Minister said that a subsidy of Rs. 25,000 is being given by the Government towards providing the tricycle costing Rs. 37,000. He said that this has already been provided to around 2.5 lakh people.
Noting doctors’ opinion that the success rate due to provision of cochlear implants to children less than 5-6 years of age is 100%, the Minister said that the Government has been providing free cochlear implants to children, at a cost of Rs. 6 lakh per child. He said that 1,212 children have already been benefited under this scheme.
Government has been providing benefits for the welfare of totally blind Divyang Jan too, including for their education.
