CM calls to empower the differently-abled

Project Reach Out and Respond ‘Xohari’ iugurated 

STAFF CORRESPONDENT

DIBRUGARH, Aug 19: Chief Minister Sarbanda Sonowal on Saturday said that all sections of people must be empowered equally for making them able citizens of the country.

Sonowal said this while addressing the iugural event of Project Reach Out and Respond – ‘Xohari’, organized under the joint initiative of Assam State Legal Services Authority in collaboration with Social Welfare Department and Health and Family Welfare Department at DHSK College here.

The project has been launched with the aim to help specially-abled people.  

Chief Minister Sonowal said differently-abled people possess immense mental abilities and willpower that help them shine in critical situations and they should be encouraged in all manner. 

Speaking on the project ‘Xohari’, Sonowal said more than 3,500 differently-abled persons from Dibrugarh, Tinsukia and Sivasagar would be benefitted from this scheme. 

He expressed special gratitude to Assam Legal Services Authority and said their presence would help in a special way in creating awareness on legal issues

The Assam CM in his speech stressed on the importance of wide acceptance of differently-abled persons and lauded the initiative of the Legal Services Authority in gifting deprived people the right to live with equality. 

The Chief Minister further said that the State government has been working towards giving equal place in society to differently-abled people, stating that the principle of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’ would turn into reality only when society accepted them with equal love and respect. 

 Addressing the gathering, Justice Hrishikesh Roy highlighted the need for conceptualizing Project Reach Out and Respond that aimed to identify differently-abled  persons from every corner of the State by reaching out to them by providing necessary aids and appliances for improving their way of life and movement. 

Chief Justice of Gauhati Court Justice Ajit Singh, lauding the initiative of ALIMCO in inventing new designs and technology for such people, mentioned the newly-designed white stick for the blind that has been equipped with a sensory buzzer. 

As part of the programme, wheelchairs, white sticks for blind people, hearing aids and prosthetic limbs were also distributed.