Tamil Nadu   

Handicapped persons voice their demands to political parties

Special Correspondent

They want new government to provide quality education at affordable cost

VILLUPURAM: In the run-up to the Assembly elections, the handicapped persons have their own set of demands to put forth to the political parties.

The Villupuram District Handicapped Persons Social Welfare Association has issued handbills to the general public requesting them to prevail upon the vote-seekers to extend appropriate help to their less fortunate handicapped brethren.

According to M. Ramesh, district president of the association, around 80,000 handicapped persons in Tamil Nadu remained unemployed, and to improve their lots, it had become necessary to provide them with employment.

Owing to poverty, several handicapped persons could not continue the school or college, and hence, it had become an imperative to arrange for imparting quality education at affordable cost.

The association pointed out that on the pretext of adhering to the rules in extending education loan and financial assistance to the prospective entrepreneurs, the banks were causing hardships to the handicapped persons. Banks turned down their application for financial aid on flimsy grounds. Therefore, the association was keen on getting a government that would be sensitive to their requirements. It called upon the Social Welfare Department to enhance the scholarships as well as grants to the handicapped persons.

They should also be given quality appliances such as callipers, tri-cycles, walking sticks, Braille watches and hearing aids. Besides forwarding these requests to the political parties, the association had also sought the help of the people at large to take up their cause.

It had welcomed the move to form ramps for the sake of the handicapped at the polling stations, Mr Ramesh added.

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