The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Infuse confidence among persons with disabilities, says Meira Kumar

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Sunday, Mar 01, 2009
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Tamil Nadu

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Infuse confidence among persons with disabilities, says Meira Kumar

Staff Reporter

Stone laid for 7 buildings as part of expansion of the NIEPMD

— Photo: K.Pichumani

Helping hand: Union Ministers Meira Kumar (second from left), Subbulakshmi Jagadeesan (right) and NIEPMD director Neeradha Chandramohan at the foundation stone laying ceremony for new buildings at the NIEPMD in Muttukadu on Saturday.

CHENNAI: Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Meira Kumar on Saturday laid the foundation stone for seven buildings as part of the expansion of the National Institute for Empowering of Persons with Multiple Disabilities (NIEPMD) in Muttukadu, near here.

Speaking on the occasion, she said that a total of Rs.59 crore had been allocated for the NIEPMD of which Rs.39 crore would be spent on the new buildings.

She said the government’s and society’s efforts must be to infuse confidence among persons with disabilities and make them realise their inner strength. The efforts should also be to mainstream them and ensure that society makes use of their talent in various fields. Ms.Kumar also wished Chief Minister M.Karunanidhi, who is recuperating after a surgery, a speedy recovery.

Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Subbulakshmi Jagadeesan said the Tamil Nadu government had started early intervention centres in all the 30 districts to detect hearing and speech impairment in infants. If the defects are detected within one year there are possibilities that through therapy or implants, the children could be taught to hear and then speak, she added.

Principal Secretary, Social Welfare Department and State Commissioner for the Rehabilitation of the Disabled, Tamil Nadu, Meenakshi Rajagopal, said that the State was the first in the country to issue ID cards for persons with disabilities.

Additional Secretary to the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment Sangita Gairola said with the new buildings the NIEPMD would be able to achieve a quantum jump in the services it provided.

NIEPMD director Neeradha Chandramohan said the buildings, which would have a plinth area of 12,321 sq metres, would be constructed by Central Public Works Department. Administrative block, kitchen, guest house, staff quarters and hostels would be constructed.

Poonam Natarajan, Chairperson, National Trust, New Delhi, Tiruporur MLA D.Moorthy and Tamil scholar Kumari Anandan were among those present.

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