Date:29/03/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/03/29/stories/2005032902130500.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Sweekar regional centre at Cuddapah soon

By Our Staff Reporter

CUDDAPAH, MARCH 28. Sweekar Rehabilitation Institute for Handicapped, Secunderabad, will set up a regional centre in Cuddapah.

Twenty acres of land had been sanctioned at Putlampalle for the centre, the Collector, Jayesh Ranjan, said at a seminar on `Promotion of career opportunities in the field of special education and rehabilitation' here on Monday.

The centre will have a college for special teachers, mentally challenged and other disabled persons and hostel facilities. The centre, formally launched today, would be run in Cuddapah Government Hospital till it is shifted to a new building.

The centre would rehabilitate and train disabled persons of Rayalaseema region, Mr. Ranjan said.The Cuddapah MP, Y.S. Vivekananda Reddy, said the project was a boon for disabled persons of the region.

Courses offered

The convenor of Sweekar, K. Basavanappa, said a one-year diploma course and a four-year B.Sc. (Audiology and Speech Language Pathology) degree, affiliated to Sri Venkateswara University, would be launched.

M.Sc. (ASLP), diploma, B.Ed. and M.Ed. (Special Education), PG diploma in Rehabilitation Psychology, Bachelor in Physiotherapy and orthotic and prosthetic engineering courses, standardised by the Rehabilitation Council of India, are also being offered.