Press Information Bureau
Government of India
Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment
11-December-2012 17:32 IST
A number of initiatives have been taken to promote research & technology
for
the benefit of Persons with Disabilities:-
The Ministry confers National Awards for the empowerment of Persons with
Disabilities (PwDs), every year, under various categories. One of these
categories is for "Best applied research/innovation/product development
aimed at improving the life of PwDs."
The Ministry made its website accessible to persons with disabilities and
launched the accessible website in January, 2010, at a cost of Rs.20.09
lakh. Other Central Ministries were also requested to similarly make
their
own websites, as well as of their associated organizations, accessible to
persons with disabilities.
State Governments have also been requested to make their important
websites
accessible to persons with disabilities and financial assistance has also
been offered to them for doing so. Central assistance of Rs. 31.00 lakh
has
so far been released to 3 State/UT Governments for this purpose. No
proposal, in this regard, has however been received from the Government
of
Andhra Pradesh.
The Government has also, in 2010, instituted a new category of National
Awards - viz for websites with best accessibility features. Under this
category one award each is given for such websites of (i) Government
organizations, (ii) Public Sector/autonomous/local bodies, and (iii)
Non-Govt. organizations.
An Online Braille Library, established by the National Institute for
Visually Handicapped, (NIVH) Dehradun, has been launched on 4th January,
2012. This library has books, including in Telugu, which can be accessed
in
real time from any location, including Andhra Pradesh. An amount of Rs.
47.50 lakh has been spent on this project so far.
An online catalogue of Braille books has also been hosted by NIVH which
enables visually-impaired persons to ascertain the location and
availability
of a desired Braille book, without going to Braille Libraries and Braille
Presses. An amount of Rs.17.00 lakhs has been spent on this project so
far.
NIVH has also launched an Online Directory of Services for the Visually
Impaired persons. Services available in Andhra Pradesh have also been
included in this Directory.
The National Institute for Mentally Handicapped, Secunderabad, has
developed
certain technology based teaching modules for training of persons with
mental retardation. Technological methods like electroencephalography
(EEG)
and electromyography (EMG) are used for assessment of disability. EEG
bio-feedback is used for stimulation of electrical impulses in the brain
of
children with mental retardation, and softwares are used for speech
therapy.
The National Institute for the Orthopaedically Handicapped, Kolkata, has
developed proto-types of myo-electric hand, multi-use wheelchair,
low-cost
pediatric below-knee prosthesis, and functional electric stimulation
devices
for persons with foot-drop.
The Artificial Limbs Manufacturing Corporation of India, functioning
under
this Ministry, also works on developing technological aids and appliances
at
a relatively low cost.
The Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI) is running a TV channel called
"Navshikhar" through which programmes on disability-related topics are
telecast for the benefit of teachers/special educators, professionals,
parents of children with disabilities, and other stakeholders. At
present,
there are 472 Direct Reception Centres for this channel, of which 32 are
in
Andhra Pradesh.
This information was given by the Minister of State for Social Justice
and
Empowerment, Shri D. Napoleon in a written reply to a question in Lok
Sabha.
****
RTS/HSN
http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=90403
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