Mandya (Karnataka), Aug 29 (IANS) Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel H.D. Kumaraswamy on Saturday said that persons with disabilities were close to his heart and recalled that when he was the Chief Minister, he had created a system that allowed them to directly approach the Vidhana Soudha.
“Persons with disabilities are close to my heart. When I was the Chief Minister, they used to come directly to the Vidhana Soudha. I had created such a system,” Kumaraswamy said.
The Union Minister was speaking after distributing assistive devices to 299 persons with disabilities at Ambedkar Bhavan in Mandya. The equipment was provided by the Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) and the Artificial Limbs Manufacturing Corporation of India (ALIMCO) under their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programmes.
“Persons with disabilities do not need sympathy. Instead, they should be provided opportunities to build a life of dignity and self-respect. They should also get equal opportunities, and everyone has a responsibility towards them,” he said.
Kumaraswamy said battery-operated tricycles, artificial limbs, hearing aids and other assistive devices were distributed to around 299 beneficiaries.
The facilities were provided under the CSR initiatives of SAIL, which comes under the Ministry of Steel, and ALIMCO. Assistive devices worth a total of Rs 50 lakh were distributed, he said.
Kumaraswamy also inaugurated a digital assessment system at the Mandya Institute of Medical Sciences (MIMS).
The facility has been established with Rs 1 crore provided by Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) under its CSR fund. The Union Minister visited the hospital in the morning and inaugurated the digital assessment system.
Later, Kumaraswamy visited the government school in Halalli village, where he inaugurated two well-equipped classrooms constructed with a grant of Rs 32.50 lakh under the CSR initiative of ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel (AM/NS India).
He also laid the foundation stone for two new classrooms at the former Municipal College in Mandya city. The project is also being funded with a Rs 32.50 lakh grant from AM/NS India under its CSR programme.
Kumaraswamy participated in CSR initiatives involving a total investment of Rs 2.15 crore in Mandya.
Speaking after inaugurating the two new classrooms at the Halalli government school, Kumaraswamy said the Union government was giving high priority to education under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“Under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the highest priority is being given to education. The Central government is taking measures to provide quality infrastructure to schools and colleges,” he said.
–IANS
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