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State urged to extend help to mentally challenged children

BHUBANESWAR: Parents’ Association of the Mentally Retarded Children (PAMRC) on Sunday alleged that the State government was insensitive to cause of disabled persons with mental retardation, autism, cerebral palsy and multiple disabilities.

Addressing a press conference here, PAMRC president Ajay Kumar Jena said although persons of these four categories perpetually lived with disabilities, State government was not sensitive enough to come up with rehabilitation as well as proper vocational centre for them in the State.

States like Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, government-run rehabilitation centres had substantial number of rehabilitation centres whereas policy makers had not considered to institute one of those kind in Orissa, Mr. Jena said. There were a few rehabilitation and vocational centres functioning under aegis of non-government organizations, but the capacity and scope were limited, PAMRC pointed out.

Parents were especially emphasizing on bringing disabled persons under purview of welfare schemes.

Disabled persons are considered a burden to the family and this is more so when such a child belongs to a poor family.

The disabled persons of the rural areas have no access to any institution for education and training,” said Radha Govind Das, PAMRC secretary. Mr. Das said parents depending on daily wages normally chain their disabled children in their house and go out for eking out livelihood.

The association demanded that the State government should at least make provision of financial assistance for these disabled children with minimum of Rs. 500 per month irrespective of their parent’s income.

According to Women and Child Development department, there were about 1,03,592 disabled persons belonging to mental retardation, autism, cerebral palsy and multiple disabilities categories in Orissa. Most of the provisions under National Trust Act, 1999 remained unimplemented, parents added.

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