IN PRAYAGRAJ, MODI REITERATES ‘SABKA SAATH, SABKA VIKAS’ PROMISE
WORLD RECORDS In Prayagraj, the Prime Minister distributes assistive aids to 26,874 differently abled and elderly people ; three world records set in the process
PRAYAGRAJ: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday highlighted several measures taken by his government for the over 2.5 crore differently abled and 10 crore elderly populace of the country, during a mega disability aid distribution camp in Prayagraj on Saturday.
He also lashed out at the previous governments for remaining insensitive towards the needs of the differently abled and the elderly, claiming that negligible efforts were made to redress their woes.
Addressing a huge gathering here, the PM said he once again got the opportunity to seek blessings of ‘Maa Gange’ by coming to the Sangam city, where he took a holy dip during the Kumbh Mela last year.
He said he felt blessed to serve the differently abled and the elderly as ‘Pradhan Sewak’ today (Saturday) just like when he washed the feet of sanitary workers during Kumbh.
Quoting a ‘shloka’ “swasthi prajabhya paripalyanta, nyayen margain mahi mahisha, (may the well-being of all people be protected by the rulers, with law and justice),” the PM said it was the responsibility of the government to ensure the well-being of every person and also justice to them.
Reiterating his government’s stand of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas,’ Modi said, “When I started speaking, I mentioned a ‘shloka’ which defined responsibilities of the government.
The last line of the shloka ‘lokah samastah sukhino bhavantu’, which means everyone in this world be happy, is actually what my government is working towards.”
He said earlier disabled people ran from pillar to post to get help and no one noticed it.
“Leaving differently abled to their fate was not acceptable to us and hence as a ‘sewak’ of such people -- my government -- made efforts for easing their miseries.
The previous governments organized very few camps for differently abled but our government, in the past five years, has organised 9,000 such camps,” he added.
He said the previous government distributed assistive aids worth less than Rs 380 crore but our government, in the past six years, distributed aids worth more than Rs 900 crore.
The PM said difference in sign language between two states spelled inconvenience for the differently abled.
“Previous governments never thought of bringing a common sign language. For developing common sign language, our government has come up with an Indian Sign Language Research and Training Centre.
“A dictionary of 6,000 common words has also been prepared, which would address the difference in language. Moreover, around 400 government websites and also currency notes and coins have also been made disabled-friendly,” he added.
“The 3 per cent reservation in government jobs for differentlybled has been increased to 4 per cent while 3 per cent reservation for differently abled in higher education institutions has been increased to 5 per cent,” he said.
The government has imparted skill training to 2 lakh differently abled till now and a target of 5 lakh has been set, he added.
Modi said recently in all national and international sporting events for disabled, Indians have emerged victorious.
He further informed that his government started Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana three years’ ago, under which 1.25 lakh elderly people benefitted while under Pradhan Mantri Vaya Vandana Yojana senior citizens could get fixed interest on their life savings.
Earlier Rs 1 lakh was guaranteed return by banks if the latter became bankrupt, which his government increased to Rs 5 lakh, he said.
“This measure will cover risks of almost 99 per cent of bank account holders and increase faith in banks but some prefer not to discuss such things. The government provided insurance of Rs 2 lakh under Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana at Re 1 per month premium, while under Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana 90 paise per day was the premium under which the government till now has paid claims of over Rs 24 crore.
“The government has also given tax relief to senior citizens besides getting price of stent and other treatments significantly reduced,” he added.
Before his speech, Modi interacted with some of those who received the aids, including battery-operated tricycles and artificial limbs.
The occasion witnessed distribution of 55,406 assistive aids and devices to 26,874 people, including 10,406 differently abled and 16,468 elderly.
Governor Anandiben Patel, Union ministers Thawar Chand Gehlot and Narendra Singh Tomar, CM Yogi Adityanath and deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya were present on the occasion.