Government is planning to increase the number of categories for differently-abled persons from 7 to 19, Union Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Thaawar Chand Gehlot told the Lok Sabha today.
The minister also informed the House during a discussion on grants for his ministry that the government was also mulling to set up sport centres for them.
"We will ensure that the amount earmarked for the welfare of socially backward persons is used properly and not diverted to other activities...We will fix accountability," he said.
The Minister was responding to concerns raised by the members that often funds earmarked for welfare of SC/ST was diverted for other activities and enough was not being done by the government for differently-abled persons.
"The category of differently-abled persons will be increased from 7 to 19," he said.
This was probably for the first time that the demand for grants for Social Justice and Empowerment Ministry was being discussed in the Lok Sabha, the Minister observed.
He further said that he would do everything to improve the working of his ministry to promote social justice.
Gehlot said the government would take a view on setting up a commission for welfare of nomadic and semi-nomadic tribes and make special provisions for visually-impaired persons.
The budget proposes to set up new braille press at 15 centres to cater to the needs of visually impaired persons, he said, adding soon there will braille signs on currency notes.
In addition, the Minister said, the NDA government was also proposing to set up an Ambedkar International Centre.
As regards to the sports facilities for differently abled persons, Gehlot said the Punjab Government has shown interest and some headway will be made.
Those who participated in the short debate included Santokh Singh Chaudhary (Congress), Udit Raj (BJP), Ratna De Nag (TMC), V Elumalai (AIADMK) and Ladu Kishore Swain (BJD).
