Chandigarh, December 3 - Haryana Chief Minister, Sh. Manohar Lal, while giving a gift to the Divyangjans on International Day of Persons with Disabilities, has announced to set up a Divyang Sports Corner in one stadium in every district.  Along with this, he also announced to construct a new building of Government Blind School, Panipat and to provide Braille printers to blind officers.

The Chief Minister said this while laying the foundation stone of Divyang Care Home in Ambala through video conferencing on Friday. During this, he also launched the website of the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment and portal to apply online for Divyang Award especially developed for Persons with Disabilities. Haryana Home and Health Minister, Sh. Anil Vij and Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, Sh.  O. P. Yadav also joined in Ambala in this program.

The Chief Minister said that Persons with Disabilities are also blessed  with one or the other special qualities and talent. The example of this was highlighted when sportspersons with Disabilities won medals in Paralympic Games.  Despite being visually impaired, Surdas was called a great poet.  Similarly, Louis Braille, despite being blind, created the Braille script, Helen Keller left an indelible mark even when  she was deaf and blind.

The Chief Minister said that for the care of the mentally challenged, a Divyang Care Home would be constructed in Ambala on 5 acres of land at a cost of Rs. 31.71 crore. In this home, adequate arrangement for clothes, food and proper care for 100 Persons with Disabilities would be ensured.

He said that there are about 50 lakh mentally disabled people in the country, Haryana government is making efforts to provide facilities to maximum number of such people.

The Chief Minister said that now Persons with Disabilities can register their complaints with the State Commissioner for Disabilities Portal.  Along with tracking of complaint on the portal itself, they can get information about act, schemes of department, and case list. 

The Chief Minister also launched the Award Portal for Persons with Disabilities.  On this portal, they can directly apply online for different categories of award.  This will also give them a lot of convenience, they will not have to make visits to the department.  He said that Braille printers would be given to the blind officers of Category-I and II.

Sh. Manohar Lal said that the government is working on a large scale for Persons with Disabilities, for this, NGOs and other social organizations should also come forward, so that the self-confidence in the handicapped can be instilled and they can move forward.

The Chief Minister also took a meeting of the officers of the Social Justice and Empowerment Department and inquired about the different facilities and pensions being given to the differently-abled.

On this occasion Principal Secretary, Social Justice and Empowerment Department, Sh. Vineet Garg, Principal Secretary, Foreign Cooperation Department, Sh. Yogender Chaudhry, Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities, Sh. Raj Kumar Makkar, Director, Sh. Rajnarayan Kaushik, Joint Director, Sh. Aditya Kaushik and many senior officers were present.