‘Vazhi kattum Thittam', for Differently abled persons launched in Trichy District

Dt.Collector Jayashree Muralidharan hands over TLM Kit

‘Vazhi kattum Thittam', for Differently abled persons in Trichy District, the services would be made available at their doorsteps said Collector Jayashree Muralidharan, releasing a handbook for the organisers on the completion of a three-day training for the organisers concluded in Trichy on Friday..The District Collector said that 589 panchayat-level organisers and 24 block-level coordinators have been appointed under the ‘Vazhikattum' Thittam, a special guidance programme for differently abled persons, in the district. The differently abled welfare organisers and coordinators appointed in association with non-governmental organisations, such as SEVAI, Spastic Society etc would be involved in prevention, identification, early intervention and implementation of the rehabilitation measures of the State and Central government. District Collector Jayashree Muralidharan said “Among the organisers appointed, 396 were differently abled persons, 109 were relatives or siblings of differently abled persons and 84 persons from below the poverty line families. One organiser each would be assigned to a village panchayat or other local bodies with a population of 6,000. The coordinators would get a monthly remuneration of Rs. 2000 while the workers would be paid Rs. 750 a month. In order to implement the scheme, the Office is working in coordination with non-government organisations.

Ms.R.Shyamala District Differently abled said “the coordinators and workers were trained and the service, the first of its kind for the differently abled, would help them avoid tedious travel to the Office. Mrs.R.Shymala said “The workers would go to every house in their localities to identify the beneficiaries of the schemes and study their requirements. They would also apprise them of the various government schemes earmarked for them. The coordinators would monitor the workers' daily routine. The reason behind engaging differently-abled workers from the villages is that they are bound to have adequate knowledge of the area,” “And if a person with disability is unwilling to work in this scheme, the person's relative would be drafted for the duty.”To start with, the organisers would conduct a survey to identify differently abled persons and verify all of them have them have been issued national identity cards”. “Those without the cards would be issued the same immediately” said Ms.R.Shyamala.

Dr.K.Govindaraju.Director, SEVAI said"Vazhikattum Thittam" is a Project implemented to empower the differently abled people, to develop a scientific data base and to implement the government schemes in the village level. This year it is being implemented in Trichy district through NGOs. District Administration had selected our SEVAI (NGO) for implementing the project in the Trichy City and its neighbourhood rural blocks of Andanallur and Manikandam SEVAI has already been implementing the Inclusive Education for the Differently abled and also in Women Self Help Group Projects. He said that SEVAI has Special facilities for differently abled running in the district including bridge course for differently abled, day care centres, Inclusive Education for Disabled Project and SHGs working for differently abled welfare had also already been registered under section 52 of The Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act 1995.   Four special chairs for those affected by cerebral palsy, wheel chairs and hearing aids were distributed to differently abled persons by the District Collector Ms.Jayashree Muralidharan and she also handed over Teaching Learning Materials to the Early Intervention Centre for Hearing Impaired and teaching and learning material to the Early Intervention Centre for Mentally Retarded. -Govin