Kohima, Aug 29: The Nagaland government will establish community-owned old age home daycare centres and District Disability Rehabilitation Centre (DDRC) in all the districts to provide equal opportunities to people in all spheres of life by 2030, according to the SDG vision document.
Reducing inequalities is one of the 17 goals of the Nagaland SDG Vision 2030 document released by Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio recently in the state capital. In Nagaland 1.5 per cent of the total population (19.75 lakh 2011 Census) has at least one form of disability while around 7 per cent of the population is over the age of 60 years, maintained the Vision document. The document said that while many schemes are being implemented, ensuring an inclusive society at a state-wide level is a difficult task.
Rough topography, poor connectivity in terms of communication, transport and IT and lack of basic infrastructure in the remote areas hamper service delivery, it said. Lack of care for mentally challenged, elderly, non-accessibility of bank accounts and aadhaar cards are some other challenges, which the Vision document said causes great difficulty in reaching out to those vulnerable populations especially those who are inhabited in remote locations, leaving them behind. The document also revealed that lack of community participation, cooperation and support and also ignorance of the various schemes by deserving beneficiaries are set back in delivering services effectively.
The state government by 2030 through the Department of Social Welfare hopes to establish community owned old age homes and day care centres in every district to cater to the needs of the increasingly neglected elderly populations. The government would initiate residential care to the mentally challenged for their education, training, guidance, welfare and rehabilitation.
It would also formulate schemes for ensuring employment of persons with disabilities (PWDs) by government bodies, training and welfare of PWDs, relaxation of upper age limit, regulation of employment and creation of congenial work environment and constitution of authority responsible for the administration of such schemes.
Differently-abled persons will be provided concessions for treatment and rehabilitation facilities. The government would also establish DDRCs in all the districts and also organise workshops, discussions on social issues faced by the differently-abled to sensitise the people of the services available for the welfare of the differently-abled, it said.
With the increase in educated and skilled PWDs, the state government would work for their economic rehabilitation by endeavouring to open avenues by creating facilities for skill training and offering job opportunities in various professions and trades.
The government would be conducting skill development, vocational training, seminars and awareness camps for empowerment of women to raise the standard of living of the household, the vision document added
