Free govt coaching for disabled

BHUBANESWAR: Now persons with disabilities (PWDs) from across the state would be given free coaching for various competitive examinations. Besides, the state government would also give skill development training to 5,000 disabled youths every year, said newly-appointed social security and empowerment for persons with disabilities (SSEPD) minister Prafulla Samal.
The success of physically-challenged youths in the last Odisha Civil Services examination has triggered the move to provide free coaching to interested PWDs, Samal said.
A 400-bed hostel will be constructed at a cost of Rs 14 crore on the premises of Vocational Rehabilitation Centre for Handicapped (VRCH) at Gandamunda here for PWDs undergoing various skill development training in the city, the minister announced.
A three-month coaching module will be prepared by the VRCH and the candidates would stay at the newly-built 100-bed hostel on the VRCH campus till the proposed hostel is constructed.
A detailed project report for imparting skill training to 5,000 disabled youths has been submitted to the Centre for allocation of funds. Odisha Skill Development Authority will implement the programme, said Nitin Chandra, secretary, SSEPD department.
The state government has given training to 342 PWDs in five trades - tailoring, accounts assistants using Tally, electrician, repair and maintenance of personal electronic devices, beauty therapy and hair styling. Tool kits were given to 99 candidates after they successfully completed the skill training at the VRCH on Monday.
According to Census 2011 there are 12 lakh PWDs in the state of whom 53 % belong to the age group of 15 to 59 when they can get skill development training. Recently the state government increased the categories of disabilities from 10 to 21. This will increase the number of persons with disabilities to at least five times of the current number. "So the hostel will be of great help to many aspiring candidates and in mainstreaming the PWDs," said Ram Kishor Sharma, assistant director (employment) of VRCH.