Around 122 physically or mentally challenged citizens mostly children are taking benefits provided at the physiotherapy and multipurpose rehabilitation centre set up by the social welfare department of the Mira Bhayandar-Municipal Corporation (MBMC) near the Indra-Lok area in Bhayandar East.
MBMC had allocated Rs5.25 crore to provide free medical services
The centre which was inaugurated on August 14, 2023, is being run under the expertise of a private healthcare institution hired by the civic administration. As many as 25 medical experts including trained physiotherapists are listed on the panel of the centre which remains open from 10am to 5pm on working days. Notably, the MBMC had allocated funds amounting Rs5.25 crore to provide free-of-cost physiotherapy and related medical remedies to physically challenged people in the budget for the fiscal 2023-2024.
This is apart from Rs1.75 crore tagged for the implementation of various welfare-oriented schemes for physically challenged people. So far, around Rs1 crore has been spent towards procuring various types of mobility equipment and kits needed for training sessions and specialised courses at the physiotherapy centre.
Meanwhile, the social welfare department has disbursed more than Rs1.34 crore as pensions to 1,065 beneficiaries and Rs8.60 lakh as financial assistance in the form of scholarships to 60 differently-abled students to enable them in pursuing professional or technical courses from recognised institutes aimed at bagging self-employment opportunities, this in addition to Rs6.79 lakh to pay honorariums and allowances to caretakers and teachers.
On the other hand, more than one lakh physically challenged commuters have benefited from the free bus travel scheme rolled out by the MBMC last year. As per records, 2,699 physically challenged persons are registered with the civic body. However, the actual numbers are said to be much higher.
