Minister Women and Child Development, Prafulla Samal, distributed 100 laptops to students with blindness pursuing higher education and self employment tool kits to 21 skilled youths with disability at a function organised by the National Career Service Centre for Differently Abled here today.
Speaking at the function, Mr Samal said the government is trying to the best of its ability for comprehensive development of PWDs. He added that the fund allocation of Rs. 50 lakhs was enhanced to Rs. 2 crore per annum from this year onwards to provide free laptops to 250 such beneficiaries.Mr Niten Chandra, principal secretary, department of SSEPD, informed that Paradip Port Trust provided Rs. 16,50,000 in the current financial year for self-employment tool kits to skilled PWDs, which is quite encouraging initiative under CSR.
He directed the corporate world to utilise at least 5% fund under CSR for the empowerment of PWDs. Ms. Mansi Nimbhal, IAS, Director, department of SSEPD, called upon the students to utilise the given assistance appropriately to become independent and contribute meaningfully in development of the country.
She informed that in joint collaboration with the NCSCDA, Bhubaneswar pre-recruitment coaching for PWDs has started preparing for competitive examinations with an investment of Rs 50 lakhs having sitting capacity of 80 PWDs have been established at the NCSCDA. Ram Kishor Sharma, assistant Director (Employment), NCSCDA, Bhubaneswar informed that about 360 PWDs have been provided free residential skill development training in 2017-18 sponsored by (OSDA), organised by the NCSCDA and SSEPD.