The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Single-window portal for the disabled to be launched soon

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Tuesday, Mar 18, 2008
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Single-window portal for the disabled to be launched soon

Staff Reporter

— Photo: K. Murali Kumar

New job: Sheba, 21, an artist with disability, with her appointment letter as a teacher of art at the Centre for Special Education, Spastics Society of Karnataka.

Bangalore: The Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment will soon launch a portal that will act as a single-window delivery system for people with disability, with information on health, education and employment along with links to relevant non-governmental organisations, said Manoj Kumar, Chief Commissioner for Disabilities, Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.

He was speaking at a workshop on “Genetic counselling to sensitise district welfare officers” organised by the Office of the State Commissioner for Persons with Disability in Karnataka, the Spastics Society of Karnataka and the Foundation for the Prevention of Disability here on Monday.

Joint venture

The portal, a joint venture with the Ministry of Information Technology, will also have a grievance redressal platform, Dr. Kumar said. “People can register cases of non-compliance or violations of provisions of the Persons with Disability Act, which will then be reviewed by the State Commissioner for People with Disability,” he said.

“For instance, while the Act mandates that government and local authorities must reserve not less than three per cent of all poverty alleviation schemes for the benefit of persons with disability, the utilisation we find varies between just 0.37 per cent and 1.07 per cent,” he said.

The Spastics Society of Karnataka on Monday created a “technical cell” to serve as a comprehensive single window to provide services, including medical and paramedical (therapy) services, rehabilitation, educational and vocational, for people with disability.

“This cell is intended to empower parents, teachers, field workers and therapy aides,” said Rukmini Krishnaswamy, technical director of the SSK. “Whether they are special and inclusive education tools, vocational training or early diagnosis, such services must be made accessible,” she added.

Research centre

The Department of Women and Child Development has proposed a national centre for research in multiple disabilities to ensure “a comprehensive action strategy for the rehabilitation of persons with disability,” said Shalini Rajneesh, Secretary to the department. She added that proposal had been sent to the Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.

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