ANANTNAG: The Deputy Commissioner (DC) Anantnag, Dr Basharat Qayoom today convened a meeting of District Management Team (DMT) for setting up District Disability Rehabilitation Centre (DDRC).
Speaking on the occasion, the DC said that identification of a location for DDRC has to be finalized on priority. He solicited the opinion from members of DMT and directed the members to conduct on spot verification.
The meeting discussed engagement of manpower and their nature of service as well as nomination of DDRO for coordinating the activities of DDRC and coordination with other departments.
Regarding selection of implementing agencies, Dr Basharat directed Nodal Officer District Red Cross to submit a proposal. He said based on evaluation of the proposal, further course of action will be decided.
Briefing the members, DSWO Anantnag said that the DMT has to identify a rent free and barrier free building in the vicinity of hospitals/ healthcare centres. He said the DDRC will comprehensively provide various services like surveys, providing of prosthetic aids, etc.
Javed Tak, Patron of HWO Helpline and a prominent social activist from the district, said that children with disabilities should have easy access to the DDRC being established.
He raised the issue regarding accessibility for persons with special abilities in public places and government institutions. The DC assured him that necessary action will be taken in this regard.
DDRC is an initiative by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Govt. of India, to facilitate comprehensive services to Persons with Disabilities in the rural areas. These units have a group of rehabilitation professionals for providing services like identification of Persons with Disabilities, Awareness Generation, Early Detection and Intervention, Provision / Fitment, Follow-up and repairing of Assistive Devices, Therapeutic Services like Physiotherapy, Speech Therapy etc., and facilitation of Disability Certificates, Bus Passes and other concessions/ facilities for Persons with Disabilities.
District Management Teams headed by District Collector and comprising of PO ICDS, ACP, CMO, CEO, representative from a reputed NGO as member and DSWO as member secretary has already been constituted in the district.
The DMT is mandated to carry out selection of registered implementing agencies, deploying manpower, ensuring convergence of other activities in the district related to Divyangjan among others.
The meeting was attended by ADC Ghulam Hassan Sheikh, Nodal Officer District Red Cross Society and MS GMC Anantnag and associated hospitals in addition to members of DMT.