Projects for disabled sought
our correspondent
Itagar, May 23: Aruchal Pradesh Women and Child Development Minister Wanglin Lowangdong has requested union Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment Thawar Chand Gehlot and senior officials from his ministry to allot projects for the benefit of the disabled and physically handicapped citizens of the state.
During a meeting at New Delhi on Friday, Lowangdong opined that in order to facilitate citizen’s services to the disabled and handicapped people, deputy commissioner offices in all districts should be equipped with facilities like special ramps, wheelchairs among others.
To this end, Lowangdong requested the ministry to provide funds, an official communiqué informed.
They also discussed the possibility of establishing old age homes, drug de-addiction cum rehabilitation centres, homes for mentally
challenged among others.
The Union Minister mentioned that he was specially committed for the overall development of Aruchal Pradesh and would offer all help and support from the Ministry.
Earlier on Thursday, the Centre has assured Aruchal Pradesh to increase the number of minority blocks to expand the outreach of the Multi Sectoral Development Programme (MSDP) administered under the union Ministry of Minority Affairs.
While discussing the same with union Minister of Minority Affairs jma Heptullah at New Delhi, Lowangdong requested her to create 22 more MSDP blocks in addition to the existing 26 blocks.
Heptullah assured the minister to consider the request after review.
Lowangdong highlighted the need to introduce more schemes under MSDP to uplift the condition of the inhabitants in these blocks, the communiqué said.
It may be mentioned that MSDP is one of the leading programmes covering development of all sectors in minority areas.
In another development, Lowangdong also called on Union Minister for Women and Child Development (WCD) Maneka Gandhi and had important discussions regarding schemes like the Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) and others.
He apprised the union minister about the difficulties encountered by the state government in implementing the Child Development Projects and schemes. He requested the minister to sanction fund for the procurement of vehicles for the different ICDS blocks for easier
mobility due to the difficult terrain and the concentration of far flung areas in the state.
Lowangdong emphasized on the need for creation and sanction of new ICDS blocks and also appealed for continuing the allocation of fund to WCD department without any curtailment mentioning that the present 90:10 share must be continued in view of the unique development challenges confronting this frontier state.
Lowangdong also called on Union Minister of Tribal Affairs Jual Oram and appealed for increasing the allocation for Aruchal Pradesh by the Ministry, the communiqué informed.
He mentioned that Aruchal Pradesh being a cent per cent tribal state should get due benefits towards improving the overall conditions of the local populace. He also appealed for the establishment of another Eklavya Model Residential School (EMRS) in the state under the aegis of the Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs.
Oram was positive and assured that he would expedite the matter. Lowangdong also invited the union minister to iugurate the already established EMRS/ Eklavya School at Lumla in the Tawang District at the latter’s convenience.Lowangdong was accompanied by DRC Marto Bagra and OSD (WCD) Sandhya Roychoudhary, the communiqué adde