Tamil Nadu was on Friday awarded the best State for promoting empowerment of persons with disabilities (PwD) in the Centre’s annual national-level awards for the disability sector.
Along with the State, several individuals, NGOs and government departments were handed over the 2020 awards by President Ram Nath Kovind at a ceremony here on International Day of PwD.
In the award citation issued by the Social Justice and Empowerment Ministry, Tamil Nadu was honoured for “focusing its attention in taking up and implementing programmes/schemes for the rehabilitation and empowerment of persons with disabilities”. The State had given the highest Budget allocation for the department concerned with PwD, issued 13.35 lakh disability certificates and granted recognition to 382 special schools run by NGOs, the citation said.
“It has taken initiatives in providing rehabilitation to the mentally ill persons who are abandoned by the family and found roaming on the streets and other public places who are rescued and admitted to the hospitals under the ‘Rescue Scheme’ through non-government organisations and are provided shelter, food, medical facilities and vocational training,” the citation read.
Among government departments, the Public Works Department of Nashik was awarded for its “outstanding work in creation of a barrier-free environment” and Nava Raipur Atal Nagar Vikas Pradhikaran was awarded for the same in the category of local bodies.
In his speech, Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Virendra Kumar said PwD were “valuable human resources”. He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had prioritised PwD in the national development agenda.
