‘People are for people’ it is with this idea that we should extend our hand of cooperation and sympathy to the Divyangjans. Besides, it is our moral duty to give social respect to divyangjans. Chief Minister Prof. (Dr.) Manik Saha said this while inaugurating the National Helpline – 14567 to provide counseling and assistance to senior citizens and 50 bedded halfway homes yesterday at Narsingarh. At the programme, Chief Minister said that there are many people in the society who have various problems including physical and mental but none of them are taken care of in the society. It is our duty to extend helping hand to all these people.
At the programme, Chief Minister said that it is not possible to cure mentally disturbed people only through medicine they also require proper counseling. Not taking people who have recovered from mental illness to their home is a social degradation which is not desirable at all. This full-service halfway home is designed for people who are not accepted after recovering from mental illness. Not only this, the central and state governments are also working together to solve various problems of the senior citizens of the society. A helpline number has also been launched yesterday for senior citizens to voice their concerns. Chief Minister said that Divyangjans are also part of the society. The state government is working with a humanitarian approach to help them in many ways. There are many street children in the society who are suffering from various problems including health, food and shelter. It is necessary for everyone to come forward with a social service attitude to extend a helping hand to them because this work cannot be done by the government alone.
At the programme, Social Welfare and Social Education Department Minister Santana Chakma said that the state government is working for the welfare of people from children to the elderly by following the mantra of “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas. There are many mental patients in the society who recover but are not taken back home by their families. Therefore, with the aim of helping them live a healthy and normal life, the Halfway Home has been inaugurated. Also helpline number has been launched to provide proper advice and support to senior citizens. In the past, due to lack of such a system in the state, senior citizens including Divyangjan were deprived of their rightful rights in many ways.
Social Welfare Minister said that the present state government has made arrangements to reserve 4 percent seats for different abled people in jobs after taking charge. Also, ramps have been installed in different office, courts of the state for easy movement of Divyangjans.
Abhishek Singh, secretary of Social Welfare and Social Education Department, in his welcome speech said that the 50-bed halfway home was inaugurated with the aim of supporting those who have no one in the society. The policy adopted by the state government to empower women also includes the provision of halfway homes for mentally ill women. MLA Krishnadhan Das and Dr. Siddharth Shiv Jaiswal, Director of Social Welfare and Social Education Department among others spoke at the programme. At the programme, Chief Minister unveiled a booklet on the policy adopted for the rehabilitation of street children in the state.
Chief Minister Dr. Saha launched the Juvenile Justice Fund website at the programme. Also, Chief Minister Meritorious Award was given to 2 students who got the highest marks in the secondary and higher secondary examinations. Among these, a cheque of 24,000 rupees was given to the best student in Madhyamik examination and a cheque of 54,000 rupees to the best student in the higher secondary examination. Divyangjan students who have achieved meritorious success in secondary and higher secondary examinations were also awarded. Chief Minister Prof. (Dr.) ManikSaha and other guests presented the awards to them.
