In a first-of-its-kind move, 14 cross-disability early intervention centers were inaugurated on Friday by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India. These centers are aimed at improving accessibility of screening, identification, rehabilitation, counseling, and therapeutic services of different disabilities.
Inaugurated virtually by minister the Minister for Social Justice & Empowerment Thaawarchand Gehlot, the seven national institutes and seven composite regional centres under the department of empowerment of persons with disabilities (DEPwD). Ministers of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Krishna Pal Gurjar, Ramdas Athawale, and Ratan Lal Kataria were also present on the occasion. DEPwD secretary Anjali Bhawra, joint secretary Tarika Roy and senior oDEPwD officers also attended.
Gehlot said that the Central Government has implemented the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPWD) Act, 2016, in line with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which envisages an inclusive society for persons with disabilities. He added that there is a need to identify children with disabilities or infants who are at risk of developing a disability and provide them early assistance to ensure optimal development of the child.
In the first phase, the ministry has established 14 cross-disability (Early Intervention) centers and is working towards setting up such centers in all CRCs by 2022. When this is done, the facility of Cross Disability-Early Intervention Centres will be available in about 25 States and Union Territories, the minister explained.
