Disabled Persons Can Do Well In An Enabling Environment: Venkaiah Naidu

Minister Releases Index For Ranking Organizations

New Delhi (PIB-GR-TYP-BIN): The Government today released “Inclusiveness and Accessibility Index” that measures the actions and attitudes of different organizations towards disabled employees and persons. The Index, prepared by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment was released by the Minister of Urban Development Mr. M.Venkaiah Naidu on March 30.

Speaking after releasing the Index, Mr. Venkaiah Naidu said that disabled persons can realize their potential in an enabling environment. He called for enabling access to them in built up environment including buildings and workplaces, public transportation and Information and Communication Technology eco-system. The Minister called for changes in stigmatized attitudes and responses to disabled persons to make them contribute to different walks of community life.

Mr. Naidu called for provision of ramps in public buildings, adaptation of toilets for wheelchair users, things like Braille symbols in elevators and lifts, ramps in hospitals and other public places like bus and railway stations, airports to provide easy access to disabled persons.

Mr. Naidu expressed the hope that one day a differently abled person would scale Mount Everest as evidence of disabled persons overcoming the barriers.

Referring to various disabled persons who overcame disabilities, Mr. Naidu mentioned Ms. Sudha Chandran who became a renowned classic dancer after one of her legs was amputated, blind Mr. Ravindra Jain who emerged as a musical maestro.

(Source: PIB/GR/TYP/BIN/USPA/WN/IAIJ)