In a bid to enhance services for beneficiaries and improve accessibility for people with disabilities, the District Development Commissioner (DDC) Ganderbal, Shyambir today chaired a comprehensive review meeting at the DC office, here to assess the functioning of the District Disability Rehabilitation Centre (DDRC) Ganderbal.
The meeting aimed to address various challenges encountered by the Centre in implementing services and ensuring a barrier-free environment for individuals with disabilities in the district. Head of programmes at the She Hope Society for Women Entrepreneurs, Mudassir Ashraf presented a detailed overview of the services provided to beneficiaries by DDRC Ganderbal, the implementing agency.
The DC stressed for correction in the collection of data regarding the issuance of UDID cards, personnel training for accurate data collection, creating a barrier-free environment in Sonamarg, a popular hill station, as a pilot project to make it a barrier-free tourist destination, making buses more accessible for individuals with disabilities, addressing the lack of disability-friendly washrooms in schools, colleges, and universities in the district.
Expressing concern over discrepancies in data available with various departments regarding UDID card beneficiaries, the DDC proposed a pilot method involving Asha and Anganwadi workers or National Social Service (NSS) in selected Panchayats for data collection, with plans for replication in other areas.
Furthermore, the DDC emphasized the importance of making Sonamarg a barrier-free tourist destination and proposed engaging hoteliers to meet basic accessibility requirements. The DDC underscored the necessity of accurate data collection and collaborative efforts to ensure that services effectively reach individuals with disabilities in the district.
The meeting was attended by District Programme Officer, Ghulam Rasool Wani; ACP Ganderbal, Mushtaq Ahmad; Executive Director She Hope Society for Women Entrepreneurs, Sami Wani and representatives from other concerned departments.