New Delhi: The President of India Shri Ram Nath Kovind visited Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya National Institute for Persons with Physical Disabilities (PDDUNIPPD), Delhi today and interacted with the Divyang children who participated in the cultural programme “Divya Kala Shakti: Witnessing Ability in Disability”. The cultural programme was witnessed by the President, Vice President, Prime Minister, Council of Ministers and Members of Parliament last evening in the G.M.C. Balayogi Auditorium in Parliament House. It was organized by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Shri Thaawarchand Gehlot, Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Shri Ram Das Athawale and Secretary, DEPwD Smt. Shakuntala D. Gamlin were present during the President’s interaction with Divyang youth.
During interaction, the Coordinators of various States and Organizations introduced their Group of Divyang children to the President highlighting the special talent of the Divyang Youth. Divyang youths shared their activities and experiences with the President and presented their creative artworks to the President. The President appreciated their creative artworks and blessed them success in the career ahead. He also visited the Paintings Gallery where the classic paintings by the Divyang youth were displayed. Later, the President joined Divyang youth for refreshment.
175 Artistes had been drawn from different states, cultural societies, institutions, civil societies to make it a truly nationalistic spirit. DEPwD arranged for their rehearsals and practise session with the choreographer and the discipline and precision of timing and performance among such children is the greatest example of their intellectual, creative and their latent ability that needs to be harnessed for their optimal self-actualization.
DEPwD was established to give greater emphasis on policy issues and implementation relating to persons with disabilities. Besides administering three Acts of Parliament, the Department is providing rehabilitation services, training, education and conducting research on various disabilities through eight National Institutes spread across the country. Various Central Schemes are being run to provide support to institutions, State Governments and NGOs. Awareness Generation is a continuous process. Besides providing financial support to civil society organisations and institutions for sensitising people about the rights and entitlements of persons with disabilities; the Government confers National Awards every year in recognition of excellence of persons with disabilities and their organisations and also to individuals and organisations for the welfare of persons with disabilities. The RPwD-2016 has come into force on 19th April 2017. Section 29 of RPwD Act envisions the Government to promote cultural and recreational activities amongst the Persons with Disabilities.
