Pensions to disabled not based on deformity percentage: Kakani

Nellore: Agriculture Minister Kakani Govardhan Reddy said the state government is supporting people with disabilities irrespective of the percentage of their physical deficits. Attending a programme at the new ZP Conference Hall in the city on Saturday, Kakani said they were giving pensions based on 80 per cent deformity and now it is being given to all irrespective of percentage. He said Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy was supporting them with a monthly pension of Rs 3,000 for their needs. Now, he said, they do not need to trek to the government officials to get the pension but can simply apply to the local sachivalayam and the pension will be granted twice a year on a priority basis. He said that volunteers would visit all households and distribute the amount personally every month.

Govardhan Reddy said the government was not considering the extent of amount to meet the medical needs of physically challenged under the Dr YSR Arogyasri programme and also providing assistive devices, hearing aids, cell phones and hand sticks.

District Collector KVN Chakradhar Babu said that they were filling all the backward posts for physically challenged people in the district and have given jobs to 43 people so far. He added they were also conducting camps through IRCS for providing equipment, prosthetics and other material. He said that the Composite Regional Centre in the district was responsible for the disabled and was serving excellently.

The minister and the collector handed over appointment letters to 43 people, laptops, tricycles, and motorised scooters during the programme. Officials Nagaraja Kumari and CRC official Dr Raja Manipal were present.