Hyderabad, Jan.4 (RAHNUMA): Expressing concern that Braille textbooks were currently available only up to Class X, Minister for SC, ST and Persons with Disabilities Welfare Adluri Lakshman Kumar said that many visually impaired students were forced to discontinue their education at that stage.
He said discussions had already been held with officials and assured that steps were being initiated to make Braille textbooks available at the Intermediate and Degree levels. A Government Order would be issued shortly to ensure uninterrupted access to higher education for students with visual impairment, Adluri Lakshman Kumar said.
The Minister reiterated that all issues faced by persons with disabilities within his administrative purview would be addressed promptly, while matters beyond it would be taken up with the Chief Minister to ensure resolution with full commitment.
The 217th Birth Anniversary of Louis Braille was observed with solemnity at the office of the department for the Welfare of Persons with Disabilities at Malakpet on Sunday.
Adluri Lakshman Kumar paid floral tributes to the statue of Louis Braille on the occasion.
Addressing the gathering later, the Minister described Louis Braille as a visionary who illuminated not only the lives of persons with visual impairment but society at large. He said Braille transformed blindness from a limitation into an opportunity, adding that Braille represented not merely an individual but an idea and a movement.
The Minister stated that the people’s government under the leadership of Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy had completed two years, while he himself had completed six months in charge of the welfare portfolio.
During this period, he said, the government had been working with sustained focus and commitment to address the long-standing issues faced by persons with disabilities. He assured that he would stand by persons with disabilities not merely as a Minister, but as a constant support system.
He said the government remained positive on issues relating to employment, reservations and job security, and emphasised that persons with disabilities were empowered citizens entitled to dignity and equal opportunities.
During the programme, the Minister spoke to Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar over the phone regarding difficulties faced by persons with disabilities in public transport. He informed that the proposal for providing free bus travel across the State for persons with disabilities would be discussed at the Chief Minister’s level shortly, following which an appropriate decision would be taken.
Cultural performances by students with disabilities from Karimnagar district drew appreciation from the audience. The Minister lauded the students for performing at a professional level and commended the teachers for their dedicated efforts.
On the occasion, the Minister released the state’s first-ever new year calendar printed in Braille. Designed for use by both persons with visual impairment and the general public, the calendar was described as a significant step towards inclusive communication. Musical instruments were also distributed to students with disabilities to encourage talent and creative expression.
He also said meetings would be organised with disability rights organisations, in the presence of officials, to address their grievances.
The Minister noted that the present government had provided four per cent reservation in court-related jobs and five per cent reservation in higher education for persons with disabilities. Nearly 6,000 self-help groups for persons with disabilities had been formed across the State to promote self-reliance, he said.
The Minister announced that assistive devices would soon be distributed free of cost to around 8,000 beneficiaries through the Telangana State Corporation for the Welfare of Persons with Disabilities.
