Children with disabilities will be given pension by the Department of Social Security and Empowerment

Bhubaneswar:15/5/18;Children with disabilities will be given pension by the Department of Social Security and Empowerment of Persons with Disability (SSEPD) since birth, said Odisha SSEPD Minister Prafulla Samal.

Briefing media persons after review of achievements of the department by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik here today, Samal said the SSPED Department has distributed pensions to 43, 25,467 467 persons across the State. “A network of field offices right up to the panchayat level ensures that pension reaches the beneficiary even at the door-step if necessary. Pension distribution has been modernized with the help of AADHAR seeding and is now disbursed in a timely and hassle-free manner”, he said. Samal said reservation for Persons with Disabilities has been enhanced from 3 pc to 4 pc in government and public sector jobs.

The Minister said the department has reached out to 2, 13, 840 PwDs through 369 Bhimabhoi Bhinnakshyama Samarthya Abhiyan (BBSA) camps organized at district and block levels. “Through a single window approach, multiple services such as disability detection and assessment, correctional surgeries, distribution of aids and assistive devices, transport concessions, livelihood opportunities through bank linkages, enrolment in special schools and skill development through Special ITI, Jatni and NCSCDA, Bhubaneswar has been achieved”, he informed. Samal said registration for Unique Disability Identity Card, a new endeavour of the Government has reached 2, 75, beneficiaries. As many as 73,454 PwDs have received their UDID cards during the year. Besides, 39, 839 students were provided scholarships out of State fund under ‘Banishree’ scholarships. Samal said 100 students with disabilities have received free laptops from the government and as many as 236 PwD candidates have been appointed to various posts in the government. He said a library-cum-resource centre has been opened in NCSCDA, Bhubaneswar to help PwDs prepare for examinations for employment. “In addition, specialized pre-recruitment coaching classes are being held to help them qualify for jobs”, he added.