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Speaking to media persons after holding an interaction programme with the principals of different colleges at SDM Business Management College on Thursday, Rajanna said that the demands on improving condition of disabled has limited itself to pension and wheelchair, while the major challenges including providing employment to the disabled and making special arrangements for them in the public places have been neglected.
“Specially abled people have three per cent of reservation in A and B category and five per cent in C and D category for government jobs, but the benefits have not been utilised properly. The Commission for Disabled has directed the district authorities to hold grievance meeting on every third Monday of the month. Now disability which can be identified through naked eye need not have certificate from medical board. The Commission is trying to bring more number of disabled persons under ‘Niraamaya’ Insurance Scheme”, he informed.

Dist admn lapse
The Commissioner flayed the district administration for the failure of the functioning of Rehabilitation Centre for Disabled in Kokkada. “A Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the district administration and SDM Trust for running the rehabilitation centre. But there have been several lapses in the functioning of the Centre and the district administration should bear the entire responsibility,” he said. He also informed that the Commission would obtain the MoU copy from the district administration and undergo a thorough study.

‘Empower disabled students’
Addressing the Principals of colleges, he said colleges should create tension-free environment for differently abled students. They should talk to them as much as possible. Not much study has been done about the life of disabled. Colleges should motivate such initiatives. “Inclusive Education Cells are being opened for disabled students. But in this academic year, 1600 seats are left unfilled among the seats which are exclusively meant for the disabled people in the higher studies,” he told.

Speaking about rehabilitation of disabled, K V Rajanna said, for disabled people, five types of rehabilitations are required which include social, medical, financial, empowerment and political. Awareness should be created about education and employment. This process is getting started in Mangalore.

During interaction session, one of the participants noted that some guidelines related to the education of disabled students like identifying answer sheets with colour stickers and liberal valuation system are not followed in many of the colleges. Responding to this query, Mangalore Region College Education Joint Director H N Nataraj Aras said that he will direct the Mangalore University to take the initiative. “Every disabled student should get these basic facilities to pursue education,” he said.

Principals of different colleges shared their experiences and suggested some new plans about the education of disabled. SDM Business Management College Principal Dr Devraj was present in the occasion.

Earlier in the day, Rajanna had visited the rehabilitation centre in Kokkada and fumed over the poor functioning of the Centre.

He suggested the officers to employ physiotherapists and provide necessary equipment to the Centre.