Now, midday meals in schools for disabled

The state government will extend the midday meal scheme and Ksheera Bhagya to the schools meant for disabled children, Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy has said.

Speaking at “Spandana-2018,” an event organised by the Karnataka State Union of service organisations for differently abled persons here on Saturday, he said acting on the recommendations of Urban Development Minister U T Khader, it had been decided to extend midday and Ksheera Bhagya schemes to schools for disabled children.

Kumaraswamy said an Olympics meet for the disabled would be conducted in state from next year. “We will have this event in Mangaluru.” The Union put forth several demands before the chief minister for improving the condition of disabled persons in the state.

They sought that the department for welfare of disabled and senior citizens which is presently under the department of women and child development be separated. “We want an exclusive department and a dedicated budget for the department,” said the memorandum submitted to the chief minister.

The union said there was little that the state was doing to provide skill-based training for children with disabilities to be financially independent in the future. It sought that special educators and teachers working in schools for the disabled be given the financial support, job security and retirement benefits on a par with teachers in government-aided schools.

Kumaraswamy said the demands would be looked into. “During an event recently, I heard someone calling my name and I reached out to that girl. She was a totally blind girl. She told me that I once helped her get a job and today she has adopted a girl child. Nothing gives me more contentment than experiences of this kind.”