Telangana: Move to wind up educational institutions for disabled flayed

Chikkadpally: The National Platform for Rights of the Disabled (NPRD) which is celebrating completion of a decade on Sunday demanded the Union government to drop a proposal to wind up nine national-level educational institutions and run only in their place.

At the closing function of the week-long national celebrations in the State office here, NPRD president K Venkat and secretary M Adivayya raised the demand. They also wanted five per cent of the ensuing State budget allocated to the disabled. In a press release, the two leaders criticised the Centre for cutting the budget allocation for disabled welfare by 12 per cent. ' This amounted to their neglect'. They called for united efforts and struggle to secure the rights of the disabled. Venkat and Adivayya said the State-level week-long celebrations would be on from February 14 to 22. The closing function would be held on Feb 22 in the City.

They listed the NPRD demands as: dropping move to make changes in the Rehabilitation Act, increased pension from Rs.3016 to Rs.5,000, sanction of ration cards, subsidised loans, raised marriage incentive to Rs.1.25 lakh, five per cent allotment in 2 BHK houses, disabled certificates to 21 categories, reservations in the private sector, five per cent quota in welfare schemes, government jobs, besides allotment of house-sites.

Among those who attended the celebrations in the State office during the day were State committee member Mohd Nazia, Hyderabad committee vice-president Satyaranayana and leader Padma.