GUWAHATI, March 5 - Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, inaugurating the project �Reach out and Respond�, distributed fitments of artificial limbs and aids and appliances to differently-abled persons at a programme held at GMCH auditorium here today.
Organised under the aegis of Assam State Legal Services Authority in partnership with Social Welfare, Health and Family Welfare Department, Artificial Limbs Manufacturing Corporation of India, and Bhagawan Mahavir Viklang Sahayata Samiti, the programme vowed to target 1,184 persons in six districts in the State.
Addressing the programme, the Chief Minister said, �Differently-abled persons constitute a chunk of human resources of Assam and if we want to make our State stronger, we need to take �dibyangs� on board and include them into our agenda of priorities.�
�Distributing aids to the differently-abled people along with Assam State Legal Services Authority is one of our efforts to bring �dibyangs� in the mainstream and use their services to propel growth of the State,� he added.
Referring to the census report which put the figure of differently-abled people in Assam around 4.5 lakh, Sonowal said that State government is putting its head and heart to prepare a database of people with deformities of different sorts and draw a roadmap for their development.
He also mentioned the budgetary allocation under �Sugam Assam� where in special pedestal and ramp will be put in place in every DC office for the convenience of differently-abled people.
Citing words of encouragement for the differently-abled persons, Sonowal mentioned the names of Stephen Hawking and sportsperson Mariyappan Thangavelu, who in spite of their physical inability rose to the ladder of success.
Chief Minister Sonowal also thanked Chief Justice of Gauhati High Court Ajit Singh, Assam State Legal Services Authority, Artificial Limbs Manufacturing Corporation of India and Bhagawan Mahavir Viklang Sahayata Samiti for advancing their agenda and joining hands with State government for helping the �dibyangs� with dedication and humility.
Chief Justice of the Gauhati High Court, while sharing his views on the programme, said that the society needs to develop a special feeling for the differently-abled people and referred to Dr Bhupen Hazarika�s immortal song Manuhe Manuhor Babey.
Minister of State (independent charge) of Social Welfare Naba Kumar Doley, Judge Gauhati High Court and executive chairman of Assam State Legal Services Authority Hrishikesh Roy, Chief Secretary VK Pipersenia, founder patron of Bhagawan Mahavir Viklang Sahayata Samiti DR Mehta also spoke on the occasion.
As part of the project, 13 such disability camps will be organised in different districts of the State.
East Guwahati MLA Siddhartha Bhattacharjee, Additional Chief Secretary Social Welfare Ravi Capoor and a host of dignitaries were also present on the occasion.
