Disabled get aid, scholarships

There was smile on the faces of the disabled adults and children who had assembled from across the district at Town Hall, as they walked on to the stage to receive the help aid given by the donors.

A few were granted with the financial assistance, a few students were handed over with the scholarships and study materials, physically challenged were given the wheel chairs and the rest were provided with kitchen materials.

The occasion was the Dakshina Kannada district-level convention of the disabled organised by Dakshina Kannada District Federation for Disabled at Town Hall on Monday.

The Federation which has been conducting various programmes annually for the welfare of the physically and mentally challenged for the last four years, had organised a convention to hand over various benefits to the needy. Three school going students were handed over with the cash of Rs 10,000 each to be deposited as the fixed deposit.

The fund was sponsored by entrepreneur Subbaiah Shetty Lingamaruguthu. A scholarship amount of Rs 500 each was handed over 50 disabled students. Books, writing materials and school bags worth Rs 500 each were handed over to 60 students.

A total of 10 wheel chairs and 15 hearing aid equipment too were given to the challenged individuals. The materials and scholarships were sponsored by donors from the region. 

MP Nalin Kumar Kateel inaugurated the programme. Blessing the occasion, Odiyur mutt seer Gurudevananda Swami asked the people not to neglect the disabled, rather asked to lend the helping hand to the possible extent. He also said that the temple would come forward and arrange mass marriage of the disabled with the help of the donors. No government officials flaunted the stage during the programme due to the election code of conduct.

Memorandum

In a memorandum prepared by the Federation, to be handed over to the elected representatives, they have placed a few demands to be fulfilled by the government. 

Some of the demands of the Federation include, distribution of state-wide valid bus pass at an annual price of Rs 500, formation of disabled development board, granting of special power to the Commissioner for disabled, special allocation for the disabled in the State budget, provide free education (from primary to higher) to the disabled children, BPL card distribution and proper pension allocation to the disabled people.