Social Welfare Minister Pramila Rani Brahma highlights role of society in uplift of specially abled

61st International Day of the Deaf

Guwahati, Sept 23: Social Welfare Minister Pramila Rani Brahma today stressed upon the society to work in close cooperation for benefit of the specially-abled people so that they can also improve their potentialities and contribute towards building a better nation. She was speaking at the concluding ceremony of 61st International Day of the Deaf and the International Sign Language Week for the Deaf which has been observed with a three-day long programme from September 21to 23 at the North East College for Hearing Impaired situated in Birubari, Guwahati. This has been stated in a press release.

Hailing the initiatives of the state government towards infrastructure development of the college, the Minister mentioned about a government grant of Rupees 3 crore 50 lakh being sanctioned in this regard. She also reiterated that the government feels the need for a higher educational institute for the blind in the state and that she has taken positive steps in this direction. Along with this she mentioned about the Department’s efforts for filling up of vacant government posts by the specially-abled people.

Commissioner and Secretary of state Social Welfare Department KL Hilali, while speaking on the occasion, stressed on the need for mandatory audiometric test for the new born babies in case of institutional deliveries. He spoke about strategic interventions to bridge the gap between the deafs and the non-deafs. On the other hand, Director of the Department, Debeswar Malakar urged the deaf students to think themselves as equal to all. He mentioned that this year the United Nations focal theme for the 69th International Day of the Deaf and the International Sign Language Week for the Deaf is ‘With sign language everyone is included’ and inspired the students to follow the motto ‘Without us nothing about us.’

Organized under the aegis of the Assam Association of the Deaf, the event was attended by a host of dignitaries. Prizes were distributed among the students who took part in a series of competitions throughout the three-day long programme, the release added.