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The Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment, Smt. Meira Kumar has called for greater involvement of community in empowering disabled persons particularly in rural and remote areas. Inaugurating the fully barrier- free building of the Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI) here today, Smt. Kumar said that various programmes being implemented for the disabled should be need based and innovative. She said that persons with disabilities must be trained with entrepreneurial and marketable skills for self-employment as well as for employment in the organised sector. For this purpose, vocationalization of education has to be a high priority. The Minister said that the role of RCI here becomes crucial in creating a professional manpower for training children and adults with disabilities. She said that the major thrust of the Common Minimum Programme of the Government is to reach the weaker sections of the community and fully utilize their productive potential. Mrs. Kumar said that disability is not synonymous with helplessness as many people with disability have significantly contributed to political, social, cultural and the scientific endeavours of the community.
Smt. Meira Kumar also inaugurated the RCI’s Global Websites in Hindi and English with fully accessible features. Initially the website will be useful for persons with visual impairment and low vision to access the information around the world as per their requirement, i.e. through voice and magnified text. Other features to benefit persons with speech and hearing and other serious disabilities will be added shortly as the software is under preparation.
The Chairman of the RCI, Major HPS Ahluwalia said that RCI is training approximately 5000 professionals in the field of rehabilitation and special education annually. He said that the RCI is trying to bridge the gap in providing professional care to the persons with disabilities in remote and rural areas. North-East sector, J&K and other neglected states are being brought into the fold of RCI, Major Ahluwalia added.
The building of the RCI has been built on the principles of universal design and is accessible to all persons with disabilities including the visually impaired and the hearing impaired. It is provided with ramps, handrails and grabbars. The lifts of the building are provided with auditory and braille signals.
Social Justice and Empowerment Secretary, Smt. Sarita Prasad and Senior officials of the Ministry and RCI were present on the occasion.
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