Union Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment, Kumari Selja inaugurated the national fair on aids and assistive devices "SWAVALAMBAN" here today.
Speaking on the occasion, she said that this is the first fair of its kind, being organised by Department of Disability Affairs.
Kumari Selja congratulated ALIMCO along with other National Institutes who worked very hard to put up the show and added that one of the Ministry's scheme for rehabilitation of Person with Disabilities is the Assistance to Disabled Persons for Assistive Devices, popularly known as 'ADIP' scheme.
The main objective of the scheme is to assist the needy disabled persons in getting durable, sophisticated and scientifically manufactured, modern assistive devices. These devices will help in promoting their physical, social and psychological rehabilitation, by reducing the effects of disabilities and enhancing their economic potential.
Currently, aids and appliances for locomotor disabilities, visually impaired, hearing impaired and mentally handicapped are being provided under the scheme. Currently the income limits and limits of the cost of appliances permissible for assistance are quite low. The Ministry is working to increase these limits.
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Kumari Selja, who praised ALIMCO, said that it is a non-profit manufacturing Industry working for the past four decades. It is serving persons with disabilities by way of manufacturing and supplying aids and appliances and organising camps for providing them devices. ALIMCO has so far provided aids and appliances to more than 40 lakhs beneficiaries.
In the last two years, ALIMCO has expanded its production activities as well as camp activities in leaps and bounds. It could register a growth rate of 128 percent in that period.
Recognizing this fact, ALIMCO has been awarded "Best Managed PSE Award" by SCOPE by the President of India. Currently, it is reaching around 2 lakhs PwDs, directly and indirectly.
Kumari Selja further added that a wide range and sophisticated devices are needed in large number as almost 50-60 percent PwDs needs assistive technology at one or other point of time.
Accordingly, ALIMCO is being modernized and strengthened to increase its manufacturing capacity.
Kumari Selja also said that there is need to recognize requirements of many more disabilities that are arising out of modern lifestyles and to develop suitable assistive technologies for them. Considering these factors, it has been decided by the Ministry to hold a National level Trade fair of various assistive devices that are available across the country.
This would help in creating awareness and assessing the availability of various stake holders in this field.
This would help in exchange of ideas amongst manufacturers and potential users, and to attract industries in this sector. This will also open opportunities for ALIMCO to explore trading partners and technology providers so that ALIMCO may undertake mass scale manufacturing at affordable cost.
Minister of State, Social Justice and Empowerment Manikrao Gaviti expressed his pleasure and congratulated ALIMCO for bringing the manufacturers, suppliers in the country to show case the assistive devices at one place. Gaviti further added this fair will provide an opportunity to Persons with Disabilities to see modern aids and appliances.