Momentum should be carried on. other states should also join Karnataka... Its high time Government should start computer training centres in the small town and in rural areas of the country. NGOs find it hard to attract funding hence they are concentrated in big cities. But why people with disabilities should suffer who reside in the villeges? http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hubli/Govt-jobs-offer-hope-to-visually-challenged/articleshow/39715193.cms
BELGAUM: Channamma Marihal lost her vision at eight and suddenly her colourful life turned dark. The girl, who would play happily with other children, started withdrawing into a shell. Many started giving up on her and thought she'd end up in a corner of the house. However, Channamma never gave up fighting the odds to be independent. This girl from Kittur village in Bailhongal taluk recently passed the CET examination conducted by the KPSC and has been selected for a gram panchayat (GP) as a second division assistant. During counselling, she chose Kittur village for her posting and will report for duty in two weeks. She'll be working in the accounts department. Channamma has completed her degree course along with three-year computer diploma course in Mysore. Channamma is one of 129 visually impaired candidates selected as SDAs to different GPs across the state. Seven have been selected to the GPs in Belgaum district. Like Channamma, most of these candidates lost their vision but never gave up. Six years ago, the Karnataka high court directed the government to recruit visually impaired persons. But, this is the first time so many of them have been selected for government jobs. Most of these candidates have taken computer training with job access with speech (JAWS) software. In 2010-11, visually impaired persons were recruited in courts for clerical work. They had been given computers but without JAWS software as it was reportedly costly. Due to that, the visually impaired remained jobless. The software was provided to them only after a long fight and they submitted a memorandum to the government. "I don't want to face the same problem after joining work in the GP. I am not aware what kind of job the government will give us. But it should create a disabled-friendly atmosphere at the workplace, especially in rural areas", says Channamma. Basappa Waddagol of Manoli in Belgaum taluk, who selected the nearby Santi-Bastwad GP, said this job has given him hope for the future. "I come from a poor background and a small village and almost lost all hopes of making a living. But this job has brought a ray of light into my life. My family, relatives and neighbours are very happy for me," he told TOI. Article continues -- Avinash Shahi Doctoral student at Centre for Law and Governance JNU Register at the dedicated AccessIndia list for discussing accessibility of mobile phones / Tabs on: http://mail.accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/mobile.accessindia_accessindia.org.in Search for old postings at: http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ To unsubscribe send a message to [email protected] with the subject unsubscribe. To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, please visit the list home page at http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.in Disclaimer: 1. Contents of the mails, factual, or otherwise, reflect the thinking of the person sending the mail and AI in no way relates itself to its veracity; 2. AI cannot be held liable for any commission/omission based on the mails sent through this mailing list..
