Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin has stated that the DMK government is striving to uphold the rights of differently-abled persons through various measures in education, employment, and welfare.
Speaking at an event where he distributed assistive devices to 300 individuals, Udhayanidhi said the state government has paid particular attention to improving the lives of differently-abled people. The devices, including artificial legs and battery-powered four-wheelers, were provided under a corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative by Chennai Petroleum Corporation Limited.
The Deputy Chief Minister noted that the government has provided educational assistance ranging from ₹2,000 to ₹1 lakh to differently-abled people pursuing school and higher education. The government has also placed great importance on supporting them in sports.
"In particular, we have so far provided up to ₹5 crore to about 200 differently-abled students to participate in sports competitions held abroad through the Tamil Nadu Champions Foundation," Udhayanidhi said. He added that the government had disbursed ₹25 crore as prize money to 200 athletes who have won medals in international and national competitions.
Furthermore, he said the government has provided employment opportunities to differently-abled athletes. Last year, five jobs were given to these athletes, and the Chief Minister, MK Stalin, has now set a target to provide government jobs to 20 more through the sports department. "We will definitely achieve it," he pledged.
He also highlighted that the DMK has started a new wing specifically for differently-abled persons, in a move he said was to uphold their rights. At the event, he also flagged off a modern sewage-powered vehicle worth ₹1.50 crore.
Concluding his remarks, the Deputy Chief Minister hailed differently-abled people as "examples of self-confidence and perseverance."
Also read: DMK is people's party, asserts MK Stalin
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