Updated on: Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Several blind students staged a demonstration here seeking fulfilment of their five point-charters of demands, including increase of the monthly pension for the disabled.
Before they reached the revenue pisional commissioner (southern pision) office here, they took out a procession highlighting their demands.
The other demands of the visually handicapped students included supply of computerized Braile books to the higher class students, strict implementation of the reservation policy for the disabled persons in government job, extension of the reservation in the private sector and to make the government offices as disabled-friendly.
The rally was organized by the Berhampur based Milton Charitable Foundation for the VisuallyHandicapped.
While Orissa government is giving only Rs 200 per month as disabled pension, neighbouring states like West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh and Jharkhand give Rs 700, Rs 600 and Rs 700 respectively, Harsha Chandra Rath, the vice president of the organization, said.
Pension for the disabled in some other states like Uttar Pradesh, Tamilnadu, Goa and Delhi are Rs 900, Rs 800 and Rs 1000 per month respectively, Rao said.
“We urge the government to increase the amount to at least Rs 500 per month” he said.