ALIMCO, UK trust sign MoU to produce new-gen wheelchairs

Artificial Limbs Manufacturing Corporation of India today entered into an agreement with a UK-based charitable trust for transfer of technology enabling ALIMCO to produce new-generation and affordable wheelchairs for persons with disabilities.
ALIMCO functions under the aegis of the Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
The Memorandum of Understanding provides opportunity for ALIMCO and Motivation UK to work together for producing affordable, state-of-the-art wheelchairs having compliance with the WHO guidelines.
It will lead to transfer of technology from Motivation UK to ALIMCO for manufacturing new-generation wheelchairs like wheelchair for rough terrains, Cerebral Palsy (CP) chairs and adjustable wheelchairs, a release issued on the occasion said.

Speaking on the sidelines of the signing of MoU, Union Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Thaawar Chand Gehlot said the government is attempting to bring the Rights to Persons with Disabilities Bill, which was referred to the Parliamentary Standing Committee, in this session.
"We are trying to bring it in this session," the minister said.

Introduced in Rajya Sabha on February 7, 2014, the Bill covers a variety of issues relating to persons with physical, mental and multiple disabilities.
The Bill seeks to provide five per cent reservation for such persons in public sector jobs and reserved seats for them in higher educational institutions. It also provides for setting up of a national commission and a national fund for them.

The Bill also seeks to broaden the ambit of disability from existing seven to nineteen categories.
On the 125th year celebrations of B R Ambedkar's birth anniversary, he said, there was "no politics" over the government organising the year-long functions.