Steps have been initiated to construct Integrated Infrastructure Complexes in all 30 districts of the state said chief secretary P K Jena while noting that the challenge is to ensure that persons with disabilities can live with dignity by getting access to education, health and related facilities.

He was addressing a regional workshop on status of People with Disabilities and Road to Inclusive Development hereon Tuesday. Supported by National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People (NCPEDP), New Delhi this programme was organized by “Swabhiman” for the first time; an Eastern India consultation on the above subject.

“Swabhiman” is a cross disability, rights-based organization, empowers and systematically mainstreams persons with disabilities.

Education, accessibility, livelihood and advocacy for the rights of persons with disabilities for empowerment and inclusion are the prime focus areas of its work.

The aim of this Consultation was to understand the status of people with disabilities in the Eastern Region across the key thematic areas of education, employment, health and accessibility, specifically in the context of gender and Sustainable Development Goal realization.

Seventy participants from five eastern States, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha and West Bengal, representing 21 kinds of disabilities, participated.

The chief secretary said all secretaries will visit (SIEP) and other institutions working for the welfare of persons with disabilities to study their ground situation and problems.

The State Government is also focusing on the facilities of the differently abled in the State and will make a lot of changes in their lives by continuing with more efforts to meet their needs in the coming days, he said.

Arman Ali, honorary Director, NCPEDP and Bratati Harichandan, Director, SSEPD, Odisha was also spoke .

The Founder and CEO of “Swabhimaan” Dr. Shruti Mohapatra referred about the transformative promise of the 2030 Agenda to ‘Leave no one behind’ and to “endeavor to reach the furthest behind first” emphasizes that “all” people should have access to equitable and accessible education, employment, and health services.

She also proposed to collect special data on persons with disabilities in the upcoming census in all states, including Odisha.