Media sensitization workshop held
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, January 19 2016:
National Institute of Empowerment of Persons with Multiple Disabilities (NIEPMD), Chennai and Spastic Society of Manipur jointly organised a one-day media sensitization workshop on differently abled persons at Hotel Classic today.
MP Dr Thokchom Meinya, All Manipur Working Journalists' Union (AMWJU) president Wangkhemcha Shamjai, former Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities Prasanna Kumar Pincha and Social Welfare Director L Nabakishwar attended the woskhop as chief guest, president and guests of honour respectively.
In his speech, Dr Meinya said that democracy can't function without media as it is the fourth estate of democracy.
Saying that people must consider that there is no disabled person in the world he said that every person has his/her own inborn talent/capability in one field or other.
As such, no differently abled person must be discriminated or stigmatised because of his physical disability, he observed.
Speaking on the topic, 'Status of implementation of disability schemes in Manipur', Social Welfare Director L Nabakishwar said that 2 per cent of the total population of Manipur comprise of differently abled persons.
According to 2011 Census, the population of Manipur is 2,570,390 and the number of differently abled persons is 54110, he said.
The Director further said that the State Government is currently providing scholarships of Rs 200 per month to differently abled students reading in Nursery to Class-V, Rs 300 per month to Class VI to XII students, Rs 400 per month to students pursuing Graduate and Rs 600 per month to students pursuing PG, BE, MBBS, LLB, BEd, LLM, MPhil and PhD.
The Department has transferred scholarships to the bank accounts of 121 differently abled students for the 2015-16 academic session, he said.
The Director further said that the Government is planning to provide unemploy- ment allowance to 310 educated differently abled youths as well.
Prasanna Kumar Pincha spoke on the topic, 'Current disability issue prevalent in India' at the workshop.
He said that the main idea of organising the workshop was to empower, promote and support the differently abled persons and impart awareness on the issues pertaining to them to media persons.
RCI-NEZCC chairperson Tokendra Ricky spoke on the topic, 'Disability rehabilitation and organisations/services' .