UP bags National Award for Excellence in rehabilitation of persons with disabilities

New Delhi: Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment conferred the National Award of Excellence to Uttar Pradesh for doing commendable job in the field of rehabilitation of persons with disabilities (Divyangjan).

Apart from this, the state also received the awards in two other categories. These awards were given away by Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu at a function held at Vigyan Bhawan here on Tuesday to mark 'International Day of Persons with Disabilities'.

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The award was received by Uttar Pradesh Additional Chief Secretary (Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities) Mahesh Kumar Gupta on behalf of the state government. Besides, Shabina Saifi (Lucknow), Vidisha (Ghazibad), Seema Tiwari (Jhansi) and Priyanka Devi (Lucknow) received national awards in different categories. Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu gives away Award.

Additional Chief Secretary (Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities) Mahesh Kumar Gupta said that Uttar Pradesh also received the award for the best state in the implementation of Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan. The department's website also received the award as the best portal for being disabled-friendly while Varanasi has been awarded for offering the best rehabilitation services among the districts.

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Gupta said that Uttar Pradesh Government of India had launched the Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan in 2014-15 for providing accessible physical infrastructure and other communication facilities to people with disabilities. Under this campaign, while considering the efforts of the Uttar Pradesh Government as best for the past three years in making the public buildings of various districts disbaled-friendly, the state was conferred the award of excellence.

He further added that in the Sugamya website (https://uphwd.gov.in), a screen reader software for visually-impaired has been used. Those people who find it difficult to use the mouse can use voice recognition software to use the website. The computer works on verbal command. Varanasi received the award of the best district for doing excellent work for people with disabilities.

On the occasion, Union minister for social justice and empowerment Thawar Chand Gehlot, Union minister of state for social justice and empowerment Krishnapal Gurjar, Ramdas Athawale, Ratanlal Kataria, public representatives, senior officers of the ministry and others were present.

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