Chennai:
Sewing machines for visually impaired in the state could
soon be a reality with Social Welfare Minister B Valarmathi promising that she would urge Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa to include the community in the welfare scheme which was restricted to hearing impaired and physically challenged.
Speaking during an event to mark the 10th
anniversary of Nethrodaya, an organization rendering support and services to
differently-abled community, she said the state government has been extending a
helping hand to differently abled and the chief minister had already provided
JAWS software for visually challenged
students free of cost by allocating Rs 44 lakh for the purpose.
She said the state government has also provided
magnifiers for the visually impaired persons with low vision by allocating Rs
50 lakh for the purpose.
Nethrodaya, which was started 10 years ago by its founder
C Govinda Krishnan from a rented space, now has its own building thanks to the
effort of Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa in 2006. The organization has helped
around 25,000 differently abled persons by providing support in the fields of
self-employment, education, healthcare and vocational training.
Speaking on the occasion, director general of Tamil Nadu police
K Ramanujam said that disability is not an impediment to success while giving
example of South African Olympian Oscar Pistorius (also known as the ‘Blade
Runner’) who was born without fibulas and with deformities of his feet.
During the event outstanding visually impaired achievers
were also honoured. These include B Ramkumar, deputy manager of State bank of
India. Visually impaired when he was studying in sixth standard. He not only
won laurels in mathematics but also the best employee award in 2011.
S Esakkimuthu, who lost his vision at the age of six is
now a successful electrician. He enriched his practical knowledge of electrical
repairs by taking guidance from a neighbouring electric shop owner. “I use a
small silk wire attached to the electric tester to guage the flow of
electricity by the mild shock felt at the other end,” says Essakimuthu simply
on how being blind he could take up electrical works.
Arul Cletus, joint commissioner of customs and central
excise, deputy mayor P Benjamin and noted playback singer M L R Karthikeyan
also spoke on the occasion.
Govinda Krishnan, the founder of the organization, said that
there are 16.40 lakh differently abled persons in Tamil Nadu and only 8.57 lakh
have been issued identity cards. He urged the minister to take up steps to
expedite issue of identity cards to the remaining persons. He also urged the
state government to implement the reservation of 3 per cent jobs for the
differently abled in all the departments.
Krishnan also said his organization will provide seed
capital to 60 odd visually impaired small scale vendors to live with dignity and self esteem.
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