Kiran Kumar Reddy doubles pension for disabled persons

Hyderabad: Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy on Tuesday announced enhancement of pension from Rs 500 to 1,000 to totally 100 per cent disabled persons in the State from January 2014 and Antyodaya Anna Yojana Cards to all eligible disabled.

The Chief Minister participated as Chief Guest in 'International Disabled Welfare Day' at Ravindra Bharathi this afternoon.

He announced various sops for the disabled on the occasion. He announced assistance of Rs 1 lakh to physically challenged people for housing on par with SCs and STs.

He also announced 3-G mobiles to professional and PG hearing impaired students. He announced incentive of Rs 50,000 to the disabled persons who marry others.

Similarly, the Chief Minister also announced Rs One lakh incentive to disabled person who marries another disabled person. He also agreed to consider providing scooter or motor cycle to those students who complete graduation and appear for Post graduate course and Pensions to 84,113 persons having 20 to 40 per cent disability also at Rs 200 per month.

The Chief Minister observed that there is a need to implement some special schemes for the welfare of the disabled.

He assured that the government would do everything possible to help the disabled lead a life without depending on others with courage and self confidence.

Their education, self employment needs will be taken care of to ensure that they lead a life of dignity. Self employment schemes will be subsidised and implemented, he added.

Kiran Kumar Reddy reiterated his resolve to take up all programmes to ensure that the disabled lead a life of honour.

He said that if the differently abled persons are provided opportunities they will prove their mettle.

The population of disabled people in the State is around 13 to 14 lakhs and if the demand for a separate sub plan for disabled has to be met, the population will have to be taken into consideration and this will result in the reduction of funds, the Chief Minister said.

He said that steps are being taken to provide Rs 600 Crores under the Vaddileni Runalu scheme to physically challenged self help groups. He also assured to take up all steps in a phased manner for providing opportunities to the disabled in education, employment and promotions.

The Chief Minister recollected his Nizam College days and said that as captain of the Hyderabad and South Zone cricket team, he had many friends who were disabled. He said that blind voters helped him win the election as President to Nizam College student union by nine votes.

Minister for Women and Child Welfare Smt.Sunitha Laxma Reddy and several other officials were present on the occasion.