Odisha's Ganjam best Indian district in empowering disabled

Odisha's Ganjam has been adjudged as the best district in the country for empowering disabled by the Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. The Ganjam District Administration was awarded at a function in New Delhi, on the occasion of World Disabled Day yesterday. District collector Krishan Kumar and other senior officials attended the function. "The credit goes to the people of the district, especially persons with disabilities along with officials working for them," the collector said. The disabled in the district have been covered under different welfare schemes after being identified through single window camps. During the year as many as 27,443 persons were provided medical certificates while 24,718 persons benefited through the state-sponsored Madhu Babu Pension Yojana and Central government's Indira Gandhi National Disable Pension Yojana (IGNDPY). Similarly, 19,015 persons had been provided with aids and appliances while 430 and 69 persons benefited under the Indira Awas Yojana (IAY) and state government's 'Mo Kudia' scheme with houses respectively, said district social welfare officer (DSWO) Sabita Beura.

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik congratulated the Ganjam district administration, particularly the personnel of Ganjam District Disability Rehabilitation Centre for their national-level achievement.

According to the Chief Minister, the rehabilitation projects could not have been successful in Ganjam district without ample cooperation of physically challenged persons of the area. He thanked the physically challenged persons of Ganjam district for participating in all rehabilitation programmes being taken up in the district.

 Experimental ground 

Ganjam was experimental ground for implementation of a pilot project of the State government for rehabilitation of physically challenged persons. Success in Ganjam district prompted the State government to replicate the success model of rehabilitation of physically challenged persons in Ganjam district through launching of a new initiative named ‘Bhima Bhoi Bhinnakhyama Samarthya Abhiyan'. The project has been named after great saint and poet of Odisha Bhima Bhoi, who was blind.

Under the new project the process of identification, certification and rehabilitation of persons with disabilities has been decentralized through single window system. The system which has been successful in Ganjam, the home district of the Chief Minister, is now aimed at empowerment of over two-and-half lakh physically challenged persons of the State.

Source: PTI & The Hindu