On the first day of its study tour the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Social Justice & Empowerment headed by Parliamentarian, Rama Devi today visited the Composite Regional Centre (CRC), Bemina here and took stock of facilities and courses offered by the centre.The Parliamentarians held detailed deliberations with the management of the centre and asked them about different facilities and courses offered by the centre. The committee members also enquired from the administration about the functioning of the centre and its contribution towards the upliftment of specially-abled class of society.The members went round the campus to see the kind of services offered by the centre. They also enquired about the number of beneficiaries and their profile. They also asked about their future requirements, plans and strategies to implement the same.The committee was apprised that the centre is providing exemplary services to all the differently abled persons of the UT. It was given out that the centre besides giving clinical support services, is providing different kinds of aids and appliances to these persons. The centre is also organising awareness programmes and outreach activities for the benefit of these people, the committee was informed.
It was also said that the centre is running several academic programmes like Diploma in Rehabilitation Therapy, Diploma in Prosthetics &Orthotics, Diploma in hearing language and speech and others in collaboration with University of Kashmir and other national institutes.The committee was apprised that the regional centre has been established for the Persons with Disabilities of Jammu & Kashmir, by the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, Govt. of India, in the year June 2000. The objective of this centre is to build an inclusive society in which equal opportunities are provided for the growth and development of Persons with Disabilities so that they can lead productive, safe and dignified lives.Earlier the committee held deliberations with NHPC about its reservation in jobs and other welfare measures in favour of weaker classes of the society including SCs, STs, OBCs and other disabled people.The committee also enquired from the NHPC office bearers about its CSR activities and programs carried out in different areas of the country for the upliftment of these sections of society.It is to mention here that the Parliamentary Committee on Social Justice and Empowerment consists of 31 members, 21 nominated by the Speaker, Lok Sabha, from amongst the members of Lok Sabha and 10 from Rajya Sabha nominated by the Chairman, Rajya Sabha from amongst the members of Rajya Sabha. At present, the committee consists of 21 members from Lok Sabha and 9 members from Rajya Sabha (one seat from Rajya Sabha is vacant).