More facilities for disabled persons in north and east
Saturday, 1 February 2014 00:00
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The Ministry of Social Services has taken several measures to enhance the facilities for persons with disabilities, in the north and east. Priority will be given to single parent families.
Under the Housing Assistance Program for persons with disabilities, 152 families in the north and 502 families in the east have been provided with financial assistance of Rs. 250,000 each, to construct houses with accessibility facilities as a part of post-war recovery program.
A total of 3,950 families with disabled members, both in the north and east were provided with the Rs. 3,000 livelihood financial assistance on a priority basis, under the above initiative to improve their living conditions.
Under the ongoing post-war recovery initiative 31,700 persons in both provinces, were provided with assistive devices, such as spectacle, wheelchairs, crutches, commode-wheel chairs and tricycles, based on individual requirements.
Under the Self Employment Assistance program for persons with disabilities implemented by the Ministry of Social Services, 209 persons in the east and 539 persons in the north have been assisted with a view to empower their livelihood.
Awareness programs for capacity building of community leaders and volunteers are being conducted towards creating a disabled- friendly environment in the affected areas. Under this program, around 500 individuals of families of disable persons including single parents have benefited in the north and east.
Under the medical program, financial assistance was offered to a number of people who required urgent help for surgeries and the purchase of medicines on a priority basis in the north and east.
In parallel with the post-war infrastructure development initiative in the two provinces, the Ministry conducted awareness programs for all public technical offices on accessibility facilities, on a priority basis to create a disable-friendly environment. Additionally, the Ministry also provided financial assistance mostly to the Divisional Secretariats for them to provide accessible facilities in their buildings.
These steps have been taken in keeping with the LLRC recommendations.
