Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur today laid foundation stone of Composite Regional Centre, OPD and Hostel Building at Sundernagar in Mandi district in presence of Union Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Shri Thawar Chand Gehlot and Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Shri Jagat Prakash Nadda.Speaking on the occasion, Shri Jai Ram Thakur said that this five storeyed building would be constructed in an area of 5500 sq. feet at a cost of about Rs 30 crore. He said that building would house four modern OPD Hospital and hostel for 100 boys and girls with disabilities and would provide various facilities such as Teachers Training Courses for specially abled, short term training programmes for Regional Workers of Main Institutions, manufacturing of Prosthetics and Orthotics instruments, OPD medical facilities for physiotherapy, walk therapy, behavior therapy and eudiometry. He said that this Institution was opened in 2001 and at that time there was BJP Government at the Centre, led by the then Prime Minister Shri Atal Behari Vajpayee.The Chief Minister said that in the very first Cabinet of the State Government, the age limit of the old persons without any income criteria was lowered from 80 years to 70 years. He said that this speaks of the commitment of the Government towards the welfare of the senior citizens. He said that this has benefitted 1.30 lakh people of the State. He said that the State Government was considerate towards the expectations and needs of the physically challenged people.He said that the Union Government has recently completed four years in office and these four years have been full of achievements and accomplishments. He said that today BJP and its allies were in power in 70 per cent population and in 21 states of the country. He said that this speaks of the popularity of the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi.Chief Minister also distributed prizes to the winners of the Special Olympics on the occasion.
Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Shri Jagat Prakash Nadda said that the Composite Centre would prove a milestone for empowerment of the specially abled people. He said that empowering the specially abled children was need of the hour and Union Government was resolved to ensure their empowerment. He said that the Union Government has decided to give disability status to acid attack victims. He said that all the new government buildings were being made disabled friendly in the country. He said that the Union Government during the last four years has made rapid strides in different fields. He said that the Modi Government had launched world's biggest health insurance scheme in the country, covering over 50 crore population of the country under the Ayushman Bharat Scheme. He said that under this scheme Rs 5 lakh insurance would be provided to each beneficiary. He said that Medical College Hamirpur would be opened for this academic session for June this year.Union Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Shri Thawar Chand Gehlot said that the present Union Government under the able leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi was committed for the welfare of the weaker sections of the society. He said that now 4 per cent reservation has been provided for the physically challenged people in Government services. He said that all the government multi-storeyed building would be made disabled friendly. He said that a single identity card would be made for the specially abled people, which would be valid throughout the country. He said that several schemes have been initiated by the Union Government for the welfare of the specially abled children. Five National Sports Centres were being constructed for the specially abled children in the country, he added.
Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Dr Rajiv Saizal said that the Composite Center would prove a milestone for the specially abled children. He said that the State Government was considerate towards the welfare of the weaker sections of the society and specially abled people. He said that that the Center as well as the State Government was committed towards the welfare and betterment of the physically challenged people.Member of Parliament Shri Ram Swaroop Sharma said that being the second biggest Parliamentary area of the country Mandi has been give special attention in matter of development by the Union Government. He said that this Centre would prove a boon for the specially abled children.Vice Chairperson Special Olympic India Dr. Malika Nadda said that 600 hearing aids were disbursed in a medical camp which was a record in itself. She said that special steps needed to be initiated for the welfare of the specially abled persons She said that credit of this goes to each one of those involved in encouraging these children. She also urged for special stadium for these special students in the country. MLA Sundernagar Shri Rakesh Jamwal while welcoming the Chief Minister and Union Ministers to his constituency, said that the Composite Regional Centre would be gift for the people of the State in general and of Sundernagar in particular for the Union Government.Smt. Dolly Chakarvarti Joint Secretary Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment welcomed the Chief Minister and other dignitaries present on the occasion. The students of the Centre presented a colourful cultural programme on the occasion.MLAs Col. Inder Singh, Shri Hira Lal, Shri Vinod Kumar, Shri Jawahar Thakur and Shri Inder Singh Gandhi, former Minister Shri Roop Singh Thakur, Member State Women Commission Ms. Payal Vaidya, Deputy Commissioner Shri Rugved Thakur, SP Mandi Shri Gurdev Sharma were present on the occasion among others.