Hemanath Padubidri
Daijiworld Media Network—Udupi (PS/CN)
 
Udupi, Dec 4: Women and child development department of Karnataka state, Mahajana Union of specially challenged, Special School Teachers’ Union, and Udupi district specially challenged independent service groups, jointly observed ‘World Disabled Day’ at Shamili Hall in Ambalapady on Saturday December 3.
 
District in-charge minister Dr V S Acharya, inaugurating the programme, said that as per the census of 2011, Karnataka state has more than 9 lac specially challenged persons.

“In Udupi district, there are 17,050 specially challenged persons. Of these, 7,758 have been given identity cards. There are 14 institutions serving specially challenged persons. About 88 children have been provided with Rs 78,700 as scholarships. Grant allotment is done on the basis of the number of students to the ratio of teachers. Those with 75 percent physical disability have been provided a monthly pension of Rs 1,000. In the coming budget, proposals are on the anvil about increasing the income limit for specially challenged persons and also removing the income limit criteria completely,” he said.
 
On the occasion, 14 people were felicitated including Pramila Pinto, medal winner in ‘Special Olympics 2011’ held in Athens, Greece. Handicrafts made by specially challenged persons were displayed at the venue.
 
MLA K Raghupathy Bhat presided. MLC Kota Shreenivas Poojary, ZP president Katapady Shankar Poojary, standing committee president Upendra Nayak, city nunicipal president Kiran Kumar, taluk panchayat president Devadas Hebbar, ADC Kumar, Dr Bhaskarananda Kumar, Special School Teachers’ Union president Agnes Kunder, Niranjan Bhat, and Manjunath were also present.