Union Home Minister Amit Shah kicked off a key project in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, on Sunday by laying the foundation stone for a new building and two hostels at Shri Parasmal Bohra Netraheen Mahavidyalaya, a school dedicated to the visually impaired. This move highlights ongoing efforts to support differently-abled individuals, often called Divyang in India, with a total investment of Rs 15 crores.
Shah praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for sparking a fresh sense of self-respect and self-reliance among Divyang people. He noted how Modi’s 2015 shift to the term “Divyang” from “Viklang” changed national attitudes, empowering state and central governments to view these individuals as capable contributors to nation-building. “When we see the differently-abled as specially abled or Divyang, real progress happens,” Shah said.
Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma and Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat greeted Shah at the airport before the event. The new facilities include the Motilal Oswal Gyan Deep Bhawan at the college, the Motilal Oswal Jyoti Sadan girls’ hostel, and the HG Foundation Divya Jyoti Bhawan boys’ hostel. Shah stressed the need to tackle daily challenges for Divyang, pointing out that the school became Rajasthan’s first for the blind back in 2022—wait, actually established much earlier, but recently marked a milestone.
Shah spotlighted the Modi government’s push for Divyang excellence in sports. He shared impressive Paralympics stats: India won just 8 medals from 1960 to 2012, but grabbed 52 in the last three Games alone. “If society, NGOs, and the central government team up for Divyang, nothing’s impossible,” he added.
On accessibility, Shah highlighted the budget boost for the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities—from Rs 338 crore in 2014 to Rs 1,313 crore today. Under the Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan campaign, Modi ensured Divyang face no barriers in government courts. Plus, all 35 international and 55 domestic airports in India now offer full accessibility.
In the past decade, the government set up 18,000 camps to provide prosthetic aids to 31 lakh Divyang individuals, making a huge difference in their lives. These steps underscore India’s growing commitment to inclusion and self-reliance for people with disabilities.
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