Society needs to be sensitive towards specially abled children: Himachal Governor

Shimla, December 5, 2016: Governor of Himachal Pradesh Acharya Devvrat the President of Himachal Pradesh Child Welfare Council stressed upon the need for regular visits by members of Council and stakeholder departments to the Centers being run by the Council so that welfare of inmates living in various Ashrams could be better ensured. The society has to be more sensitive towards these children. Frequent interaction with them would instil confidence and humanitarian thought of equality of opportunities to all will pervade in the society.
The Governor was speaking at Annual General Meeting of HP State Child Welfare Council held at Rajbhawan, here today. Chief Minister Shri Virbhadra Singh was also present in the meeting.
The Governor said that serving mankind was true service to the almighty and added that children of the nation were assets of the country. He said equal opportunities should be made available to every child for optimum development of potential of children. Children in the Ashrams should be provided all such modern facilities which are provided to other children in homes. Helping these children would be the true service to humanity and religion.
While appreciating the efforts of the Council and the Department, Acharya Devvrat said that welfare schemes were being implemented through various institutions like schools, ashrams, balwaries and crèches at the same time there was a need to coordinate and associate more people, non-governmental and religious organizations to support it. He added that local committees under the chairmanship of concerned Deputy Commissioners should be constituted who would not only serve the institutions but also help in mobilizing charity funds for running them.
He suggested that temple trusts, philanthropists alongwith affluent section of the society should come forward towards charitable activities by helping the institutions with funds and resources. He directed officers to conduct regular inspections of all the ashrams and added that special days should be celebrated with the inmates of these ashrams.
The Governor asked the Council to construct building for Balika Ashram Chili in Chamba District and complete the work in time bound manner.
Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh said that the special children should be given vocational training in the trades they are interested in rather than imposing on them.
The Chief Minister said that differently-abled children should be provided training for making them employable in the field they desire. They can be given vocational training in Hotel Management and other courses, he said adding that the government was also providing financial assistance to special children, who were to be provided vocational training in ITI.
He also raised concern about the delay in construction of additional building of orphanage in Mashobra and issued directions for speeding up the construction work of such buildings within the State.
He also issued instructions for surprise checks and monitoring of Bal Ashrams, orphanages and old age homes in the State. Chief Minister said that only such persons or those trained teachers should be deployed in ‘Shishu Grih’(children homes), who were committed to serve the children and can take extra care of them.
The government was implementing various schemes for the welfare of children with special abilities and said that at present 28 observation homes and three open shelters were functioning in the state out of which 10 were run by the government. He said that the Government, by making certain amendments in ‘Mukhya Mantri Bal Udaar Yojna’ had decided to bear the expenditure of providing higher education after plus two to such children so that they could made self-employable. A sum of Rs 20 thousand is given as rehabilitation grant to such children after leaving the Ashrams.
Social Justice and Empowerment Minister, Dr.(Col.) Dhani Ram Shandil, said that a special provision was made to mutate ancestral property/land in name of the orphans and disabled children so that after becoming major their property could be inherited by them and not grabbed by few.
Secretary, Social Justice and Empowerment, Smt. Anuradha Thakur detailed about the schemes of the department and the measures being adopted for welfare of special children and orphans.
General Secretary HP State Child Welfare Council Smt. Raj Kumari Soni also gave valuable inputs in the meeting.
Principal Secretary Health Shri Prabodh Saxena, Secretary to Governor Shri Pushpendra Rajput, Director Child & Women Development Smt. Mansi Sahai Thakur, Deputy Commissioners of various districts, HODs, Senior Officers of the State Government, official and non official members of Child Welfare Council were also present on this occasion.