Record number of beneficiaries to benefit from the composite camp. Highest in the country.
Nagpur.
The Artificial Limbs Manufacturing Corporation of India (ALIMCO) and Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India is all set to hold one of the biggest camp for free of cost distribution of assistive aids and appliances in the country on March 29, 2015 at Reshimbagh Grounds, Nagpur. The composite camp will be held on March 30, 2015 at Umred and on March 31, 2015 at Mansar
Five Thousand Three Hundred and Two (5302) persons with different types of disabilities will be provided with high quality aids and assistive devices under the Assistance to Disabled Persons for Purchase / Fitting of Aids/Appliances (ADIP Scheme) of Government of India, including various other financial assistance by other agencies working under Department of Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
A total expected value of the camp is Rs five crores seventy eight thousand and eighty nine thousand (Rs 5,78,89,000/-).
The event with a gathering of approximately 12,000 people will be prominently attended by Chief Minister of Maharashtra Devendra Fadnavis as the Chief Guest along with Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment Thawarchand Gehlot and Union Minister for Surface Transport and MP from Nagpur Nitin Gadkari.
Chairman and Managing Director of ALIMCO D R Sarin while addressing the media personnel said that ALIMCO is the only manufacturing company in the world producing a wide range of assistive devices for orthopedically, visually, hearing and intellectually impaired under one roof. It has so far provided such devises to about more than 42 lakh beneficiaries (from the time of its inception in 1976). Sarin added that this is the first time that ALIMCO is helping in distribution of more than 4000 beneficiaries in one day.
While answering to a question, Sarin claimed that during this camp they are going to give 50 Motorized Tri-Cycles for handicapped students. He claimed that this tri-cycle costs around Rs. 35,000/- per tri-cycle. Union Surface Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari had given some funds from his MPLAD Fund.
Sarin added that for the first time they are going to unveil a folding or dismantle-able tri-cycle.
Sarin claimed that they are thankful to the Government of Maharashtra, Department of Social Justice and Empowerment, District Collector and District Administration for this historical achievement.
Sarin added that ALIMCO is not the only agency that is going to give the aids and equipments. He added that ALIMCO will be giving aids and equipments to 4045 beneficiaries amounting to around Rs 426 lakhs.
Apart from ALIMCO, Ali Yavar Jung National Institute for the Hearing Handicapped, Mumbai will be giving hearing aids to 193 beneficiaries amounting to Rs 17 lakhs. The National Institute for the Visually Handicapped Dehradun will be giving Tablets that are Deci-players and can help the visually impaired students in learning subjects. Around 570 beneficiaries will benefit from the scheme amounting to Rs 20 lakhs.
The National Institute for the Mentally Handicapped, Secunderabad will be giving out a specially designed kit which will help them in the hand-vision co-ordinations etc.
The National Safai Karmachari Finance Development Corporation, National Scheduled Caste Finance Development Corporation, National Backward Class Finance Development Corporation and National Handicapped Finance Development Corporation will be giving loans and opportunities of getting vocational training. These loans and training will be amounting to around Rs 95.89 lakhs.
Sarin also claimed that the equipments that are manufactured by them are low cost and are provided at lowest affordable costs. He added that they are soon going to tie-up with a German Company OttoBock and are going to jointly do R&D and manufacture indigenous prosthetics and other aids and equipments for the disabled.
Director of Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Institute of Medical Science, Research and Human Resources, Dr Viral Kamdar while addressing the media personnel claimed that Nagpur District alone has nearly 60,000 handicapped persons, while the Maharashtra State has nearly 26 lakh handicapped persons and the nation has 2.68 crore handicapped persons. Dr Kamdar said that before organizing this camp, the team had organized an assessment camp in Mansar, Umred and Nagpur on March 19, 20 and 21, 2015.
Dr Kamdar said that in order for an handicapped to avail of the beneficial schemes of the Government, the disabled person should have a Disability Certificate and at-least 40 % disability. The person should also have Address Verification and Income Proof wherein the person should have only an income of Rs 12,000/- per annum. He claimed that often handicapped or disabled persons especially in the rural areas do not possess these documents. This hinders them from availing the beneficial schemes launched by the government for their benefit.
This time, when the organizers held the assessment camps, they had doctors and officials from Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) and Indira Gandhi Government Medical College and Hospital (IGGMC or Mayo Hospital). These doctors ascertained the disability percentage and issued a certificate then and there in the camp. On the orders of the Collector and Sub Division Officers, Certificates of Income and residential proofs were also issued then and there so that these disabled and handicapped can avail the golden opportunity to receive aids and equipments.
The other officials present in the press meet included General Manager of ALIM CO, Lt. Col. P K Dube, District Welfare Officer Siddharth Gaikwad and PDRC Coordinator Abhijeet Raut.
