The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Contest for disabled

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Dec 09, 2007
ePaper

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Contest for disabled

Staff Reporter

PHOTO: R.M.RAJARATHINAM.

GESTURE: Transport Minister K. N. Nehru handing over assistance to a differently-abled child in Tiruchi on Saturday. —

TIRUCHI: Assistance worth Rs.68 lakh has been disbursed to about 11,700 disabled persons in the district during the current financial year, Transport Minister K.N. Nehru said on Saturday.

Disabled five youths, who had completed their under-graduate course in law, had been sanctioned special assistance of Rs.15,000, he said at a cultural contest for the disabled here.

The contest was organised by the Tiruchi Region of the Department of Art and Culture, the South Zone Cultural Centre, Thanjavur, and the Department of Rehabilitation to mark ‘International Day of Disabled Persons.’

He said the Transport Department had sanctioned free bus pass to 1,260 differently-abled persons. As many as 370 persons with severe disability had been sanctioned a monthly assistance of Rs.500 each for which about Rs.23 lakh had been sanctioned this year.

He distributed certificates to individuals and institutions in recognition of their prolonged services to the cause of the disabled.

He assured Regional Assistant Director of Art and Culture R. Gunasekaran that steps would be taken to sanction additional funds for construction of a regional cultural centre in Tiruchi. He gave away district-level cultural awards to winners selected during the last two years.

Forest Minister N. Selvaraj said it was only during the DMK regime that artistes were honoured every year through special awards.

Collector Ashish Vachhani said priority was given to the welfare of disabled persons. Deputy Director of Art and Culture E. Tiruvalluvan said the proposed regional cultural centre would be a full-fledged building housing the Jawahar Bal Bhavan and a music school with hostel.

Director of South Zone Cultural Centre K.V. Giridhar and District Disabled Rehabilitation Officer Shyamala were among those who spoke.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Tamil Nadu