Mumbai: Maharashtra will formulate a comprehensive policy focusing on education, healthcare and empowerment of persons with disabilities, with plans to introduce a Swadhar scheme for differently-abled students, establish early intervention centres for children and set up a dedicated research and training institute.
Atul Save Directs Officials To Prepare Disability Welfare Policy
Minister for Disability Welfare Atul Save directed officials to prepare the policy while reviewing the implementation of existing schemes and proposed initiatives of the department at a meeting held at Mantralaya on Tuesday.
Under the proposed Swadhar scheme, financial assistance will be provided to students with disabilities along the lines of the existing scheme for students belonging to the Scheduled Castes, Vimukta Jatis and Nomadic Tribes. Save directed officials to prepare a revised proposal ensuring that differently-abled students from the general category are also covered. He also asked the department to work out a proposal for providing hostel facilities to such students.
Early intervention centres for children
The minister directed officials to formulate a scheme for early identification of disabilities among children and ensure timely medical examinations, preventive measures, treatment and healthcare facilities. The departments of Health, Medical Education, and Women and Child Development will be consulted before finalising the policy.
He said early intervention centres would help children receive timely treatment and necessary support, potentially reducing the impact of their disabilities.
Dedicated research and training institute
The department will also prepare a standard operating procedure (SOP) for establishing an independent institute dedicated to research, training and empowerment of persons with disabilities.
The proposed institute will have a headquarters and regional offices on the lines of existing organisations such as VJNT and Mahajyoti institutions. Officials were also asked to prepare a detailed plan to utilise available land belonging to the Disability Welfare Department at Ulhasnagar, Virar and Wardha for setting up training institutes.
Disability Welfare Commissioner Satyajit Bade and other senior departmental officials attended the meeting.
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