Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said that Indian spiritual traditions have never treated disability as a weakness. Instead, he said, every person is seen as a creation of God and judged by inner strength, not by physical limitations. Speaking in Lucknow on World Disability Day, CM Yogi said that today many useful programmes are being run for persons with disabilities with the joint support of the central and state governments.
However, he pointed out that when a child becomes disabled, families often neglect the child. As a result, many such children grow up feeling rejected and frustrated. Therefore, he stressed that families and society must provide emotional support. When support is given, he added, good results become possible.
Moreover, CM shared examples from Uttar Pradesh to show what persons with disabilities can achieve. For instance, the state’s Secretary for Sports and Youth Welfare has won Olympic medals, while the Divisional Commissioner of Chitrakoot, who is visually impaired, is serving as an IAS officer. Hence, he said, disability must not be used to judge a person’s ability. Rather, society should help such citizens join the mainstream and contribute to the nation.
New Cabinet Decision to Strengthen Rehabilitation Services
Meanwhile, the state cabinet took a major decision under the Chief Minister’s leadership to improve services for persons with disabilities. The government has approved setting up new District Disability Rehabilitation Centres (DDRCs) in all 18 divisions of Uttar Pradesh.
Currently, 38 districts have such centres, but some are affected due to lack of resources. Therefore, the government will strengthen the system with better facilities and staff so that services run smoothly.
Furthermore, Finance Minister Suresh Khanna said that the new DDRCs will offer many services at one place. These include surveys, identification, camps, assistive devices, fitting of artificial limbs and training. In addition, physiotherapy and speech therapy will also be available.
Most importantly, people will be able to get UDID cards and disability certificates more easily. As a result, beneficiaries can receive government schemes on time. Overall, the government believes this move will greatly improve rehabilitation and inclusion across the state.
