Telangana to appoint welfare officers for physically challenged soon: Harish

Finance Minister T Harish Rao said that the State government would soon appoint exclusive officers to look after welfare of the physically challenged in all 33 districts.

Siddipet: Finance Minister T Harish Rao said on Monday that the State government would soon appoint exclusive officers to look after welfare of the physically challenged in all 33 districts. With the objective to serve the physically challenged in a better way in the State, the government had already separated the disabled welfare department from other welfare departments.

Addressing persons with physical challenges during the International Day of Persons with Disability programme in Siddipet, the Minister said employers must see the ability of the employee, not their disability. Saying that some employers were not willing to hire physically challenged persons, Rao said there were wonderful talented among the physically challenged too. Elaborating on various welfare schemes undertaken by the State government for the betterment of the section, he said the TRS government had increased the pension amount from Rs.500 to Rs.3,016.

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The government was paying Rs.1,700 crore per month towards disabled pensions of 5.70 lakh beneficiaries across the State, he said, adding that the State government was also working to increase reservations for the disabled to 4 percent in government jobs and education.

The Telangana government was also paying Rs 2.25 lakh for disabled persons’ marriages which includes the benefit under Kalyana Lakshmi scheme and the disabled marriage incentive. Rao assured to set up an exclusive skill development centre for the physically challenged in the district. Saying that the district had 14,500 identified physically challenged persons, Rao announced Rs.1 crore special grant for their welfare in Siddipet district.

Zilla Parishad Chairperson V Roja Sharma, Additional Collector Muzammil Khan, Disabled Welfare Director Shailaja, District Welfare Officer Ramgopal Reddy, DRDO PD Ch Gopal Rao, and others were present.