Disabled Welfare Act to be updated: Hasina
June 21, 2009
UNB, Dhaka — Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said the government will update the Disabled Welfare Act’2000 and take special measures for education, employment, movement and communications of the physically challenged people.
She also urged all to cooperate with the physically challenged people with love and fraternity to ensure the flourishing of their merit and talent.
“A team of so-called disabled players from Bangladesh won 21 gold medals in an Olympic competition in the USA after we came to power in 1996. So disability is not a disease. People’s cooperation and feelings of fraternity can play a great role in flourishing the talent of the physically challenged people,” the PM said.
She was addressing a function arranged on the occasion of distributing wheelchairs to war-wounded freedom fighters and physically challenged people Saturday at the city’s Osmani Memorial Auditorium.
Rotary Club of Matijheel arranged the function patronized by Green Delta Insurance Company Ltd.
Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith, State Minister for Liberation War Affairs Captain (rtd) AB Tajul Islam, Managing Director of Green Delta Insurance Company Ltd. Nasir A Chowdhury, and Rotarians Masih Malik Chowdhury and Abdus Shakur Chowdhury also spoke on the occasion.
A total of 550 physically challenged persons, including women and children, were given wheelchairs at the function.
Sheikh Hasina said the government would take steps to uphold social dignity of the physically challenged people.
The Prime Minister said Tk 8,247 crore has been allocated in the proposed 2009-2010 budget for creating social safety net for the poorer sections of population which is Tk 729 crore higher than previous year’s.
Besides, allocation for the physically challenged people has also been increased as well as its area extended.
She said the beneficiaries under the disability allowance have been increased to 2.60 lakh from the previous 2 lakh, raising the monthly per-head annuity to Tk 300.
Sheikh Hasina said the government has taken step to introduce One-Stop Service to provide the physically challenged people with every necessary health service and aid instruments.
“In this regard, a proposal has been made to allocate Tk 5.41 crore under the revenue budget of the next fiscal year to launch a new programme titled the Disabled Service and Helping Centre,” she said.
The Prime Minister thanked the organizers as they have come forward to help the freedom fighters.
“The freedom fighters are the greatest sons of the soil. They fought in 1971 to give us an independent and sovereign state. Our obligations towards the freedom fighters are limitless,” she told her audience.
Sheikh Hasina said the state is supposed to take care of the freedom fighters, but, after the killing of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in 1975, anti-liberation forces were rehabilitated instead of the liberation-war heroes.
After Awami League came to power in 1996, the then government had taken various programmes for welfare of the freedom fighters, she said, adding that the present government will continue to ensure their maximum welfare.
The Prime Minister said the monthly allowance of the poor freedom fighters will be increased to Tk 1,500 from the previous amount of Tk 900 and the number of recipients be raised to 1.25 lakh from the present 1 lakh.
Proposal was made to allocate Tk 225 crore in this sector, which is Tk 117 crore more than the previous budget allocation, she said.
Besides, freedom fighters of 65 years of age or above will be given facility of free travels by rail, bus and launch, she said.
The premier pointed out that allowance of the freedom fighters having gallantry awards has been increased 40 percent and Tk 59.16 crore has been allocated in the proposed budget of the coming fiscal year.
Source: nation.ittefaq.com
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